Thandeka is seven years old. Her mental and physical disabilities are the reason why her parents hid her from the neighbors until now. The possible reason for the double disability is the very difficult birth, during which the child suffered from a lack of oxygen. In the end, Thandeka was delivered with a suction cup. The parents were too ashamed to tell the outside world that they had a disabled child. This is often seen as God’s punishment or an evil spirit from the ancestors. The community very often rejects families if they have a disabled child. Sometimes they are even cast out.
Thandeka has been coming regularly to the Community Rehabilitation Center for Children with Disabilities in Phooko (Jorishaus) since it opened in February 2018. And this is not without results:
Thandeka was never properly encouraged at home due to a lack of knowledge and spent her days in bed or half-sitting in a chair. She is stimulated by the care of our occupational therapist and the individual program. She can now walk behind a walking frame. Another frame helps her to play some games standing up and stimulates her muscle strength.
The program staff have also taken measures at Thandeka’s home to give her a more dignified life. For example, they installed a bath. Side rails are now attached to her bed. This means that Thandeka no longer falls out of bed at night and a specially adapted chair enables her mother to feed Thandeka while she is sitting up.
They seem like small things, but they bring dignity back into a small human life. Improving Thandeka’s life also means improving the lives of two other people. Since the family began receiving help from the Ndlovu Care Group’s disability program, the lives of the three have improved dramatically. This help is free of charge for the needy children, but it is very intensive, time-consuming and costly. We ask for your help, as this form of care can only be maintained through private donations.
Donate here now for Christmas, every little amount helps.
