Ayisha's Story
We all became
very attached to the children at the orphanage because they all have such
special, individual characteristics. But one little girl that a lot of us
developed a soft spot for was Ayisha. When we first arrived and met her, this
tiny little girl looked so sad and ill. She was constantly clinging on to one
of the older girls, being carried around on her back in the typical Ghanaian
style, wrapped in a piece of material. We quickly learned that this little girl
was sick and it was suspected Malaria. She was very weak and was very tired all
the time. Ayisha never met her mother. She died during childbirth. When Ayisha
was born she was taken in by the nurses where she was delivered and was cared for
by them until she was about a year old when she was taken to the orphanage.
Having not been breast fed Aiysha is potentially malnourished and this, along
with the malaria, has meant that she is very small.
The amazing thing was having the
opportunity to revisit the orphanage after I had been relieved of my
volunteering responsibilities in the South of Ghana. It was so great to see all
of the children again and to see them looking more healthy and happy.
Particularly little Ayisha. Since overcoming the malaria it was like witnessing
a completely different child. I wasn’t aware that she could speak before, but
this time she was chattering away and babbling in her own language until her
hearts content. The most touching thing was hearing her little laugh and seeing
her so happy and healthy. She was interacting with all of the other children
and being her cheeky self.
Ayisha also has three siblings, Sakah, Wiliatu and Yakutu, they are orphans under the care of Ibrahim Soburu and his family, who we are supporting through Larabanga Life Project.
I am so pleased
that I was able to re-visit the children and get to know even more about their
backgrounds and personalities. These children are so precious. Each and every
one of them. And I want to commit my life to helping them to get the best out
of life that they possibly can.
Yakutu's story
One of the
little girls being supported by the Ibrahim, who is around 10 years old, has
worms in her bone marrow…
What I
experienced will never leave me. The first time that we realised that she was
suffering from this illness was when we saw her drop to the ground, writhing
and screaming in pain, with tears flowing like a stream from her beautiful,
brown eyes. Her screams were so full of pain that I physically felt as though I
could feel how much pain she was in and how distressing it was for her. This
was so distressing that I had to desperately hold back my tears as I gently
stroked her head, as I remember my mother doing to me when I was really upset
or in pain, in an attempt to calm and comfort her as she just kept asking
‘why?’.
We were
informed, when we asked about her, that the real only way of treating her now
would be through a bone marrow transplant.
We were
informed this treatment is not performed by many doctors in the area, and for
the ones that do perform it, it would involve a costly, painful and risky
operation.
It is
experiences like this that really put things into perspective. We find
ourselves far too frequently complaining about mild illnesses such as the
common cold. Yet this little girl, on occasions when the pain is not too hard
to deal with, is one of the most smiley and positive little girls I have met.
She is a very intelligent young lady who enjoys learning and going to school.
She cares for her younger siblings and other younger members of the community.
She helps with cooking, washing and cleaning. But I couldn’t help
finding myself thinking, what kind of a life is she going to have if most of it
is spent in agony? And why should this precious, intelligent little girl have
to go through such pain and torture?
It was this,
along with other things, which convinced my heart that I couldn’t leave this
community without giving as much as I can in terms of support. How can I go
back to England and carry on living my normal life the way I had previously
without constantly considering how I can support these people who are so
grateful, generous, loving and selfless?
It was our
experience with Yakutu as well as the realisation that so many of these
children are without any footwear which sparked our group of volunteer’s
decision to provide flip-flops for all of the children that are supported by Ibrahim. It is mad to think that something so simple as a pair of
flip-flops could be the difference between life and death essentially. Worms
and other infections enter the body through open wounds and cuts becoming
infected. If the children are walking barefoot on the ground they are more
likely to get cuts and wounds on their foot which makes them more susceptible
to infection and disease. In cases like this it is really the simplest things,
alongside education, which can have the most impact.
The deeper our
relationships with the children became the more difficult it was to understand
the fact that, because of one reason or another, they may not have got equal
access to education, health care, parents, the basic things they deserve to
have in life.
as she finishes her Junior High Education next
year and if she doesn’t have the money to pay for Secondary education this may
be her only option. When I was talking to her, she said something to Ibrahim in
Kamara which I didn’t understand so he later told me that she said her mother
had left to Accra 3 months ago to work. This is leaving her to take care of all
of her younger siblings. Ibrahim wasn’t even aware of this because she didn’t
want to tell anyone but since her mum has left she was only sent a small amount
of money once, she has had to rely on neighbours and friends to help provide
food. She has to cook, wash clothes, fetch water, look after the younger ones
and all of this whilst doing her best at school. As she told me more, she began
to cry. I bet she hasn’t cried like that before, but imagine being under that
much pressure every day, it just isn’t fair for her at the age of 16 years old.
This is why next year when she finishes her exams, which I am sure she will
pass. I want to find somebody who will sponsor her Secondary education, so she
can go and stay at school to concentrate on her education, permitting her
mother comes back.
Memuna's Story
Memuna is 16 years old and is currently in form 3 of
Larabanga Junior High School. I am told that she is a very bright young girl
and despite all of the responsibilities she has, she always achieves her best.
This is her story. Her mum married her dad and was his 1st wife, he
later on married a 2nd wife without telling Memuma’s mum. He then
divorced her and carried on living with the 2nd wife and went on to
have more children. Already leaving Memuna’s mum to support 5 children by
herself. Her mum wanted to find another husband so he could help support her
and the children but her father wouldn’t allow her, he told her she couldn’t
move on and find anyone else. So at this point her mum was trying but failing
to support her 5 children so the eldest daughter was forced to go to Kumasi
(one of the largest cities in Ghana) to work at stations offering to carry
peoples luggage for a small amount of money. I have been worried that the same
thing could happen to Memuna
