Mobility equipment to Kayenzi
A child is born.
It cries, it feeds of mothers breats, it giggles and it develops... but sometimes the child is not developing as it should, sometimes the child is born challenged in to this world. As family you can choose to starve the child so it dies, you can give it away or if you are lucky, you can find help, support, encouragement and education to help your beloved young one...
One day in November we went to Kayenzi where the Catholic nuns run a clinic for healthissues. In one part of the clinic, the physiotherapist is helping and educating the parents in how to train their child. With very little resources he teaches and work out with the children.
But I will start from the beginning...
We have received some money for mobility equipment and also some equipment that was sent here from Sweden in the container that originally was for our luggage coming here to Rwanda. Since there was a lot of space left, we asked for different equipment for mothers, children and especially for challenged children. The Salvation Army in Västerås, FA Bistånd, were willing to supply with material from hospitals and other partners in Sweden.
So came the day when we finally, after many months of transportation and taxation could bring the things to our place. We set a date to get it all packed to go to Kayenzi Health Clinic for handicapped and challenged children.
There were baby start kits and beds, wheelchairs for children, physio chairs for children and lots of good stuff.
We hired a company to carry/load and take it all to Kayenzi wth a covered truck... I admit there was a moment or two when I thought "how will they be able to put all things on that little lorry and what if it starts to rain... but if you do it the African way, everything goes :)
We arrived with all things intact and here we are together with one of the sisters and some Salvation Army Officers from CHQ and Kamonyi Division
We all took part of the sher happiness on the sister´s face when we started to unpack the baby startkits, Major Robert, our Projects officer shows the clothes, blankets and other things in the packages.
The children meet in a room with cement floor and some mats. They have a mobility ball, some chairs a thick mat and those wodden training thingies.
When we came with rubber mats, different therapy cushions they were so happy. Let me introduce Eric, when he first came to the sisters he did not move one inch. He only laid on the floor. His mother did not know what to do.
Now he sits and this day, we put him on one of the "sloping pillows". He could look up and see our faces and was so happy. Because of the sloping he needs to "push off" with his feet from the floor which will strengthen his legs and he did that several times, very happy to be able to see what was going on in the room :)
We had a short meeting outside the physiotherapy room where General Secretary, Captain Jean Clenat spoke
One of the sisters "received" the gift and gave a short speech.
When the Salvation Army do projects for the community we always invite and inform the local government, so also this time. The representative thanked for the many years that the Salvation Army has contributed to the Kayenzi people, from building new houses for genocide refugees, to running preschools and this day, giving such beautiful and important gifts to the most vulnerable in the village; the challanged children.
Here are some photos of the children and their mothers
that were to receive wheelchairs for their children so that they don´t have to carry them the long way between the clinic and the home. This will also help them to come more frequently to the clinic.
A happy Eric and his mother trying out a wheelchair
that they can keep as long as needed.
This little girl has not been able to walk on her own.
This day she tried walking with the new "assistent"
She was so amazed- and her mother clapped her hands
:) of joy. The little girl could take four beautiful steps!
Then she wanted to sit in a chair, so they put her in one,
even though it was not properly unpacked yet :)
I think about how strong the women need to be, carrying
I think about how strong the women need to be, carrying
their children all the time and I know this physio
wheelchair will be of great help at the clinic.
Yes, it felt so good to be able to assist with the gifts
getting to the clinic.I ask God to bless them all to make
the life easier for these families, so that they choose
life for their children...
If you want to help vulnerable handicapped and challenged
children in Kayenzi, turn to your Salvation Army
Sponsorship Secretary and they will help you contribute.
Photos and Copyright: Anna-Maria Tuftström
Free to share within the Salvation Army only after request to Sponsorship Secretary Major Anna-Maria Tuftstrom
Free to share within the Salvation Army only after request to Sponsorship Secretary Major Anna-Maria Tuftstrom
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