Testimonies
GEORGE
It is so inspiring to be part of a life-changing project!
George is a 9-year old boy who attended one of our LIFE Learning Centers. He suffers from epilepsy and is slightly mentally handicapped. He was refused access to a government school. His parents enrolled him in a LIFE preschool, feeling that this would be better than nothing.
We wondered if more could not be done for George and went to see the District Office for the Department of Education. They put us in touch with a special needs teacher in Mukuni Village.
We made an appointment with the teacher to visit and evaluate George at his home in his village.
After evaluation, the teacher, Peggy, was positive that a lot could be done for George and she has accepted him into her special needs class. Mukuni Village is about a 45 minute bike-ride away from George’s village. He catches a lift with a Grade 9 boy who attends school in Mukuni every day. For this purpose LIFE has made available a bicycle. LIFE will also sponsored George’s school uniform and books.
ANNIE
Annie is a 4-year old girl attending one of our LIFE preschools. When she was 3 months old, she was burned badly on the upper side of her body. At the time she was being looked after by a three-year old sibling while her mom was fetching water and her dad worked in the fields. Inadequate medical care resulted in Annie’s upper arm fusing to her body, as well as to her lower-arm. She couldn’t wear any clothes with sleeves and had almost no use of her arm.
Through the LIFE team, Annie was referred to Dr Goran Jovic, a plastic surgeon. He works on cases like Annie’s for free and we were thrilled when she was accepted as a candidate for surgery.
Annie had her surgery on August 14 and her arm is no longer fused to her body! She has to receive several skin transplants and the fusion between her upper and lower arm will be operated on at a later stage. Annie has a long and painful journey to recovery, including physiotherapy and more surgery. We thank God for this opportunity He created to “give her arm back”.
COMBATING DYSENTERY OUTBREAK
During a recent visit to Zwanga Pre-school we were informed that two babies and a man had died. The villagers were in shock and helpless. Their symptoms showed signs of dehydration caused by dysentery. We communicated this to the Mukuni Health Clinic who is responsible for all health concerns in the Mukuni Chiefdom. They had no knowledge of these events. We offered to partner with them and sent a LIFE team together with the Environmental Health Officer from the Mukuni clinic to hold a workshop on Prevention Dehydration and the causes of Dysentery. Upon arrival we were informed that another baby had died. We distributed Oral Re-Hydration Solution packages and showed the people how to make some using salt and sugar for when they ran out. We taught on correct hand washing procedures and distributed chlorine to every family in support of clean drinking water. The community of Zwanga village were very appreciative and thankful! These simple measures are literally saving lives.
