Jamestina

Jamestina, now 4 years old, was born with deformed feet (bilateral clubfoot), and also had muscle abnormalities in both her legs and her left hand (Cerebral Palsy). Despite managing to get some surgery from a visiting surgeon in her early years to help change the position of her feet, she still had the underlying muscle weakness. Her mother had been told repeatedly from 'medical professionals' and neighbours, that Jamestina would never walk.

However, our assessment showed good potential to improve and a determined will. We worked on simple weight bearing exercises in crawling positions and high kneeling, and practised standing for play activities with her hands. Before long Jamestina's hip stability and leg muscles improved so much that she could stand unsupported. The position of her feet remained poor, but with the help of a visiting surgeon to another NGO hospital, we managed to arrange for Jamestina to get the surgery she needed. Now with the use of special splints made by another NGO, and shoes that we have adapted she can walk independently.

Jamestina is a bright little girl and with the commitment of her parents she has achieved what most thought would be impossible. Jamestina's mum is now on Enable the Children's Executive Board, and Jamestina hopes to start school next year.

Amara

We first met Amara (12) in 2007 when doing a clinic at an Epilepsy Centre. His family told us that he had fallen in a ditch whilst playing with friends. Since then he had not been able to move or feel his legs. We initially thought he might be suffering from a spinal fracture and had a resulting spinal cord injury. We could not move him to a hospital as the roads are so bad they cold have made the injury worse. Instead, with the guidance of an NGO hospital, I taught the family how to nurse him at home – in their 2 room corrugated iron house, on a straw mat on the mud floor. Not ideal, but what else could we do. As time went on, Amara developed a cough which the local clinic doctor would not diagnose or treat, despite repeatedly trying. Amara was so vulnerable that we decided to transport him nearly 2 hours to the other side of town to the NGO Emergency Hospital, who X-rayed him and diagnosed TB of the Spine. This explained the Spinal Cord Injury as Amara's spine had been slowly crumbling as the disease attacked his vertebrae and maybe the fall had made that suddenly worse.

TB treatment is free after we helped pay to see the government doctor to administer it. The medicines need to be taken daily for 6 months or more. Our relationship and regular visits with Amara ensured his compliance, as did working with the Epilepsy Centre who are based across the road to him. Being a family in the extremes of poverty, Amara's Grani (having been abandoned by his parents Grani became his main carer) needed much support in being taught how to look after Amara, and we provided basic needs such as a mattress, clothing and transport to get the medications from hospital.

Once his spine had stabilised we started to teach Amara how to balance in sitting, get up from the floor onto a bench, then eventually use a wheelchair, all the while trying to prevent pressure sores and contractures. A year after we met him Amara returned to school in his wheelchair after Enable the Children had built ramps and bridges over the open gutters. The TB medications made a real improvement and Amara started to feel more in his legs. To everyone's surprise the movement in this legs and trunk returned too. We strengthened and practised hard until he could stand again. Then with some serial casting of his legs to get them straighter, one glorious day Amara took his first steps again.

He now walks to school with a crutch and has more recently learnt to ride a bike. Finally, after 2 years of depression from not being able to be with his friends, Amara is back with them, and is the talk of the village.

Minkalu Junior

Minkalu Junior (5)was born with Cerebral Palsy making all four limbs difficult to control, but not affecting his intelligence. His family thought he was great, but people in the village told them he was demon possessed and to take him to the witch doctor to be 'cured' or 'taken back to where he came from' (I later found out this often means killing the child during a spiritual ritual). Minkalu Junior's mum, now a police lady, invited the witch doctor to her home, but on meeting him Junior cried and shouted and Junior's Mum got scared. Even the witchdoctor didn't want to go through with the ritual.

A few years later they met us as we walked through their village meeting with other patients. After assessment we taught and progressed different exercises, made a special chair, played in standing, then Junior started to take his first few steps with the frame we'd given him. Although he still needs his frame or 'motor car' as he calls it, Junior was able to start school in 2009, where he sits proudly at the front of the class in his custom made chair. Minkalu Junior has shown great determination and maybe some stubbornness, but he will go on and prove that he is not demon possessed, he's just an smart little boy.

Hawanatu

Hawanatu (12) lives at a Home for the Physically Challenged with 30 others. Although not abandoned by her family, due to their living conditions they are unable to cope with her disabilities at her family home.

She had TB of the spine and now has a resulting spinal cord injury. She has tried her hardest to be able to walk and with the help of callipers she can take steps independently. However, since she has altered sensation in her legs, she often got sores that she did not know about, therefore they got really bad before anyone noticed.

Since we have been involved we have been able to build a standing frame so that Hawanatu can at least stay standing even when she has sores. Then when she is able to use her callipers we help her to walk as best she can.

Hawanatu is also incontinent as she cannot control her bladder. We have been able to get guidance from special continence nurses about self catheterisation, which again we have tried to encourage her to manage independently, especially as she reaches her teenage years. Hawanatu is very intelligent and we hope that with the help we have tried to give her to manage her disability, that her ability and character will not be hindered.

Paul

Paul (3), had been abandoned by his mother and left to be looked after by a sister. He was tiny and starving and had no interest in doing anything, and certainly could not walk. On meeting this little boy, we encouraged the aunty that he had been entrusted to her. She insisted that Paul would never walk as his mother had been unfaithful and he was being punished by god. We took time to encourage and listen and pray. We gave assistance to help them feed him and started to play with Paul at the level he was at. He soon perked up and smiled on our arrival. All we did was play and watch how his new family learnt to love him too. His development whizzed along and soon he was on his feet, then chasing balls and climbing steps. Just a little time and love and guidance was all that was needed to make the difference between life and death for Paul. He is now walking around like he owns the half built house his family are squatting in. He makes people laugh and I'm sure will continue to do well, making his aunty proud.