Help a Child with Epilepsy Stay in School

Thanks to the 2017 fundraising through the global giving platform, school going kids attached to KAWE have a chance to receive a little more support in paying for their drugs. The kids selected to benefit from this fundraising are needy cases that use expensive drugs. By receiving help with the medication, their families can focus on paying for their school fees, thus keeping them in school.

This financial help will be a continuation of the 2017 School Epilepsy Awareness Programme dubbed Komesha Kifafa Schools edition. This initiative of KAWE was done in collaboration with the County Departments of Health & Education Selected schools in the nine sub counties in Nairobi received Epilepsy awareness. Pupils from these schools generously contributed funds to assist school going children whose families were unable to afford the cost of their epilepsy treatment especially those on expensive anti- seizure medication.

Moses (Musa) was one of the beneficiaries and we caught up with him and his father, Mr Ogutu at their home in Mathare North, Nairobi.

Figure 1 Mr Ogutu with his son Musa

KAWE: When did your son begin to have seizures?

Mr Ogutu: Musa was born in 1993, he was born a very normal child, but at the age of six months he got very sick. First he had measles, and then when he recovered he started to convulse. We were in the village, so of course we didn't know what was going on, we tried local traditional treatment but it didn't work.

Next we tried many different hospitals in our area, like the Butula Mission Hospital. That was helpful.

KAWE: So approximately when did Musa begin treatment for epilepsy?

Mr Ogutu:  I would say around 2005 that was when they gave him Phenytoin though over the years he has been changed from one drug to another.

KAWE: Does your child suffer from any other medical conditions?

Mr Ogutu: Yes, he is a child with special needs, though now he can talk. He has been in St Catherine's Special School, Butula but the fees were increased so we moved him closer to home. He is now at Mathare Special Training Centre.

KAWE: How much would you say you were spending on Musa's drugs, monthly, yearly?

Mr Ogutu: Well, it's hard to say. I cannot answer that correctly but when you calculate the years and the many times his drug have been changed it's a lot of money. I have six children,Musa is the third born. Four of them are in school and you know how expensive education is.

KAWE: Does that mean your family has been affected by the cost of anti-epilepsy drugs?

Mr Ogutu: Yes, very much. We are already down financially; add to that the burden of monthly drugs. We are also quite disturbed when Musa is unwell, everyone is on high alert.

KAWE: When did you get into the School Programme?

Mr Ogutu: 2017

KAWE: How has it alleviated the stress?

Mr Ogutu: I will tell you. There were times this son of mine did not have medication, he would have frequent seizures. So we would be all worried since the more seizures he would have the more harm he could attain in other ways. But now that we have been able to get continuous medication, he has not been experiencing seizures. In fact I can foresee a complete cure in future. His siblings have also noted that he is better now.

I have been observing him, and last holiday I noticed he was quite stable and I decided to have him circumcised and he has healed well. Even though he has had to go through this rite of passage later than his peers, it’s okay. I would not have tried it when his seizures were more frequent, so for him to have passed this important milestone in his life, it makes me happy.

KAWE: Any last words?

Mr Ogutu: I thank the donors very much for their kind generosity. I would also like to request KAWE please, if another opportunity arises, remember us.

Figure 2 Moses is a happy young man

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