Doris* was at high risk of being separated from her mum Mukamuhire* – but support from people like you enabled our local team to keep mother and daughter together.
Not long after Doris was born, she began to shake severely. She was diagnosed with epilepsy and slow muscle growth. The hospital bills for her care grew quickly, and soon her mum and dad were struggling to pay them.
Eventually the stress became too much for her parents, and Doris’s father left the family, leaving her mother Mukamuhire all alone to care for her.
But without regular exercise or nutritious food, Doris grew weak and malnourished. She couldn’t sit or talk, and could only indicate her needs using eye signals.
Fortunately, local leaders in the community saw the situation Doris’s family were in. Our support staff came to visit the family, and it was the start of a remarkable change.
A return to hope
“Before their visit, I had lost hope,” say Mukamuhire. “No one had ever asked how we were doing. When the local leader came and said someone would come to help us, it felt like a door had opened.”
To tackle the family’s daily struggles, they were provided with clean mattresses, sturdy beds, and strong chairs to replace the torn mats they’d been using.
Mukamuhire was given a new sewing machine and she was able to start earning an income of her own from the neighbours bringing their clothes for repair. The family were able to get health insurance, pay for epilepsy medicine, and arrange physiotherapy for Doris.
Over time, Doris started to improve, she could sit and keep her balance for the first time ever. She could communicate with Mukamuhire using easy signs: a tap for “yes,” a turn of the hand for “no,” and a soft clap when her brothers made her smile. She got regular medicine which cut her seizures, and better meals which gave her the nutrition she needed.
A family reunited
Along with the direct support they provided to Doris, our staff also began holding weekly counselling sessions with Doris’s parents, helping them forgive one another and rebuild their life together.
Today there is hope and light in the family home once more. Mukamuhire and Doris’s dad are back together again, and Doris sits and waves to guests, playfully mimicking her father and her other family members.
Doris still has big goals: to stand, to use clearer signs or words, and to keep seizures under control. Yet every sunrise starts with her “good morning” gesture, and every night ends with parents who can now give her the support and love she needs.
By supporting our work, you can help more families like Doris’s to stay together. Please donate today.
* Names have been changed to protect identities.
