By Kathy Bowler | Director, Children of Blessing Trust
Imagine the frustration you would feel if one by one all of the things you wanted most in life were taken away. This is what happened to Senita, one of our clients with Epilepsy, who has attended our Epilepsy Clinic faithfully for years.
We first met Senita when she was a young girl, unable to attend school due to frequent seizures. Her seizures were complicated and difficult to control with the medication readily available at the government clinics. We were able to give her a different medication and though she was not seizure free her seizures were much better controlled. She was able to go back to school and graduated from high school. Senita did well on her government exams and was able to get in to Nursing School. However, after having a seizure at school she was told her seizure disorder prevented her from being a nurse. Not giving up Senita then got into Teacher Training. Again after having a seizure at school she was told her seizure disorder also prevented her from being a teacher. Not giving up she got a job as a Preschool Teacher until she had a seizure and was told once again she could not work as a Preschool Teacher with a seizure disorder.
After all this disappointment I ran into Senita at our Epilepsy Clinic. I asked her how she was doing. Even with all that she had been through she still smiled her beautiful smile. She told me that she was orphaned and her grandmother took her in and supported her throughout her schooling and how now her grandmother was getting old and all she wanted to do was to be able to look after her grandmother. She had tried hard to get a good job so that she could do this but every time she tried her seizure disorder had stopped her. Still not giving up she had started offering tutoring to children in her low income neighbourhood. The families did not have very much money but they would give her what they could so that at least in some small way she could help her grandmother.
Children of Blessing Trust partners with an organization that offers vocational training to students with disabilities. I asked Senita of she would like to go the Vocational Training and become a tailor. At least as a toailor she would be her own boss. Senita thought that would be wonderful. So last year we sent her to school and she graduated as a tailor.
We were able to provide her with a sewing machine and the materials needed to start her business. She has started well and was excited to share with us pictures of her first assignment.
I admire Senita's positive outlook on life. She has been through so much. Overcome so much. And still she smiles.
We cannot make the impact we make without the help of people like you! Thanks so much for your support. It means so much to us and to our clients!
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