I had no meetings arranged today so I took the opportunity to go with Manyanye to visit my colleague, Jan, at St Angela Cheshire home for disabled children. St Angela’s gives children with disabilities a chance to attend school and get support in a country where for many people a disability is regarded as a curse. I can honestly say the it was the most enjoyable day I have spent in a long time.
Jan first visited St Angela’s in 2016 as part of the ILO programme. During that visit she set up a space for the children to be able to have physiotherapy, has trained some of the staff in basic physiotherapy techniques and gradually increased the children’s access to things which we would take for granted in Wales such as crutches and wheelchairs. I spent the morning working as Jan’s assistant, taking notes and helping get the kids in and out of chairs and frames. The children we saw this morning had only recently arrived at the home and so assessment for the first order of business.
Unfortunately, due to the prevailing attitudes to disability in Lesotho and a lack of funds, many of the children, who were between 10 and 12, had not had a chance to attend school and were often left at home while parents went to work. Many of the conditions that the children had are very uncommon in the UK and where they do exist they would have had medical attention from an early age. Conditions such as Ricketts, a possible head injury and brittle bone disease were represented.
The lack of previous attention meant that several of the children had contractures which meant that there limbs wouldn’t straighten. For them, physiotherapy can make a massive difference as they grow. For others a change in walking aids meant that the exhausting process of getting from A to B became a little easier. The kids seemed to enjoy the experience, especially as there is an emphasis on therapy through play and the only times the kids looked in the least unhappy was when it was their time to leave. For more information about these little heroes and the work Jan has been doing with them have a read of Jan’s blog
In the afternoon I worked with a visiting Irish team some of whom were refurbishing parts of the building, some were dancing with the kids and others were helping with governance issues. Sadly I was working on governance rather than dancing but it was another way in which I could help and one which also brushed up my skills at the same time. I have learnt a lot today.
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On the way back to the guesthouse along some of the worst “roads” yet encountered and through yet another thunderstorm I reflected on the what a resilient bunch the children were. To our eyes they had nothing but they were incredibly supportive of each other and relished every positive in their day. No wonder Prince Harry had enjoyed visiting them too.