If life for the average, ‘healthy’ Malawian child is poor then life for those with severe mobility problems can be dire.
The consequences for the child and its family can be many and debilitating.
The Government of Malawi does not provide mobility aids.
Even if they could find them, most families would not be able to afford a mobility aid for their child.
Without a mobility aid the child cannot go to school and will have a very limited social life.
If the child cannot go to school, in most cases this restricts both parents from working therefore impacting the family income needed just to survive.
Without a mobility aid, like a wheelchair, parents and guardians carry the child on their backs. As the child grows the weight causes back problems for the adults….and so the above negative cycle continues.
The prosthetics workshop at the Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Blantyre, Malawi has been developed to make wheelchairs each to meet the specific needs of those children fortunate enough to receive charitable funds to meet the cost.
Kitchen Table Charities Trust is a big supporter of this initiative and the following case stories are a result of their generous help.
Click here to read the full report: 10 Cases, December 2018