Education South Africa Project #26442

Inclusivity for disabled children in South Africa

by Uhambo USA

Project Report | Aug 25, 2020
Getting through tough times

By Lucinda Kerschensteiner | Director

Like the rest of the world, Uhambo's work has been impacted by Covid. We have had to delay on travel, cancel fundrasiers and stall on starting new projects. And, the team's service vehicle was destroyed during a riot in a Cape Town township last month, leaving the organization without means to deliver wheelchars to families in need. However, the Uhambo South Africa team has adjusted well and shifted to a virtual environment for their trainings and consultations.

Depsite the hardships, families are being served and experiencing great results. Here's a much-needed good news story of two sisters in Eastern Africa who are receiving clinical support for their disabilities.

Pauline and Petronella are twins who were born typical but each of them came down with an illness at age three which left them with severe physical disabilities.

Unknown to the family, the twins were consistenly seated and positioned improperly at home which led to other complications such as contracture deformities and pressure sores that increased their pain.

For the last two years, we have engaged in "serial blocking", a technique which has helped to loosen some of the joints, in addition to therapy, nutrition and positioning to give the twins better tolerance to movement and different positioning other than lying down.

The family worked very hard and last week all their hard work paid off when the twins received new wheelchairs at one of our seating clinics and were able to sit upright for the first time! These chairs will pave the way to many more happy moments for the twins and their family.

Donor support like yours allows Uhambo to reach children like Pauline and Petronella and provide them with appropriate services and devices that will change the course of their life.

We wish you and your family the best during these unprecedented times and hope you're able to find some good in your world.

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