Wiseman
Wiseman is one of the most severely disabled children in Malamulele. He is nine years old and very thin because it is so difficult to feed him. He spent most of his day lying on his side. He has lots of contractures and deformities – even his rib cage is deformed. The rehab staff at Malamulele Hospital were at a loss and did not know how to treat or handle him. Because Wiseman had such severe problems, he received two weeks of daily therapy – one week at Malamulele in November 2006 and then a month later at Mhinga.

Slowly, slowly, we started to see some progress and some changes. It became easier to help him to sit with support. A special bed was made for him by Daniel, a volunteer orthotist who was part of the team so that he could lie in a straighter position.

Wiseman’s mom, Esther, was shown how to hold Wiseman when she fed him and was given advice on how to feed him. She was also given a special spoon for feeding, a special cup for drinking and a toothbrush. Esther was also shown how to stretch her son and how to make him looser. She was given a set of wedges to use at home. It was a real joy when Wiseman was able to look at his mother without pushing back. The local therapist was shown how to treat Wiseman.

Two months later, a follow-up visit was made to Wiseman’s home to see how he and Esther were getting along. The special bed was used all the time and the wedges were being used to stretch and loosen him. We hope that soon he will be able to sit in a buggy.

When asked how Malamulele Onward had made a difference to her, Esther replied:“Because of the love and respect we had from the therapists, we now love our children more. My child is now enjoying to play and is also noticing my love for him. The project encouraged me to accept myself and my child and built up my self esteem. I really appreciate what I get from the therapists and their respect for parents and children. Thank-you”

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