Ntikese

Five years old with clubfoot. After his surgery he is back at school again playing with his peers

Ntikese was brought to us during a disability awareness training for teachers in Magadi. He was five years old. His headteacher was concerned that the boy was always falling down while walking, hesitant to play with his peers, was very scared of staying by himself and always wearing gumboots despite the extreme hot weather both at school and at home. On assessment he had left side clubfoot deformity. We took him for a specialized orthopaedic assessment and consequently surgery was successfully performed to correct the deformity.

Following surgery, physiotherapy was performed with HTF and now he is back to class, wearing normal shoes, learning and playing with his peers.

Nkaiseri

Three years old, HTF funded her prosthetic limb. Now she’s back at school

We met Nkaiseri when she was three years old during a meeting with traditional birth attendants where she was identified as an example of child born with deformity. She was a shy little girl with a lot of difficulty in walking. We took her for specialized orthopaedic assessment. Surgery was not an option for her and hence she was recommended a prosthetic limb to help with correcting her posture and gait. It was successfully fitted for her and she was able to enrol in nursery school for the first time. Every six months she goes through review to assess, modify and / or replace her prosthetic limb to fit her growing body. It’s an expensive ongoing treatment, way beyond her family’s affordability.

Victor

14 years old. Progressive muscular dystrophy diagnosed by HTF who is helping his family to cope with his condition.

Victor is a fourteen year old born with a neurological condition known as progressive muscular dystrophy. He was identified and referred to HTF after a disability awareness training with a group of mothers with children living with disability. Nobody could diagnose his disability or its cause. His mother only reported of having taken him to various hospitals and not understanding why her boy was born seemingly normal but losing his functionality as he was getting older. In school his younger brother who was seven had turned out to be his caregiver in a school that was not disability friendly so much so that he had to lift his brother from the wheelchair to the ground for his toileting needs. We managed to explain to the mother the real condition of the boy and explained the expectations and how she can assist Victor cope with the condition.

We provided a commode for his toileting needs and transferred him to a school with a special needs unit where he is currently boarding and hence was able to relieve his brother of the caregiver responsibilities. Victor in now happy in his new school and is engaging meaningfully with his peers and under care of trained caregivers.

Bonnie

Four years old with cerebral palsy, Bonnie has been accepted by his parents for the first time.

Bonie is a four year old boy born with cerebral palsy following a very difficult pregnancy by his mother who was only thirteen when she gave birth to him. Raised by a girl mother with very little or no information on how to raise and care for a disabled child he was neglected and hidden away in the expectation that he will die. Unlike many children like him who have died due to neglect he has survived despite his severe malnutrition.

He was brought to us during a disability awareness workshop by his grandmother with the intention of giving him away to be institutionalized. We took it upon ourselves to reach out to his mother to support her in all ways to be able to care for her own son and get social support from her entire family through acceptance.
Boosting his nutrition was our immediate focus and then we progressively administered therapy and provided disability aids like a cerebral palsy seat and a good mattress to add to his comfort as he was always lying on a dirt floor.

His parents though young and inexperienced have embraced and accepted their son and are supporting his growth and care the best way they can and we are there to support and follow up his progress.