By Kathy Bowler | Director
Senita started attending our Epilepsy Clinic when she was in Primary School. She was having uncontrolled seizures that were not responding to the medications that were available at the government health centres. As a result she missed a lot of school. Someone told her to go to our Centre for help. We were able to start her on a different medication which was known to be effective with the kind of seizure she was having. The new medication definitely helped reduce the number of seizures she was having and let her return to school.
Senita was able to pass her Primary School leaving exams and go on to Secondary School. She has now graduated from Secondary School and did well enough to get into a Training Program to become a nurse. Soon after she started though they told her she could not become a nurse because of her seizures. So she switched programs to train to become a teacher. Again she was told she could not be a teacher because of her seizures. She got a job working in a Preschool and again she was told she could not work there because of her seizures.
Not giving up, Senita then started working in her home community offering tutoring services to children that were struggling at school. They could not pay her much as the community where she lives is a low income neighbourhood. What little she was able to earn she gave to her grandmother to help provide for their family.
Most people would be discouraged and feel defeated by all of this. But Senita was still able to smile as she shared her story with me.
Fortunately one of our Partner Organizations, St John of God Hospital, has recently started a Vocational Training Program for clients with special needs. We were able to enroll her in the program and she is training to be a tailor. She will soon complete her program. Once she finishes we will source funds to buy her her own sewing machine so that she can start her own business. Then no one will be able to say you cannot work as a tailor because of your seizures!!
We are so proud of Senita and her determination to make a better life for herself and her family and are so happy that we can be a part of making her story a better one!
When you support Children of Blessing Trust through GlobalGiving you help people with epilepsy like Senita have the chance to go to school, get an education and go on to live independent lives.
Please tell others about what we do and encourage them to join us as we partner with our clients with epilepsy in Malawi. It really does make a difference in the lives of our clients!!
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