Poverty forces girl, 8 to stand in hole for therapy

Every morning, Sussy Nanjala, eight, is made to stand for a couple of hours in a hole dug for her at Sitikho village in Webuye, Bungoma County.

For Nanjala, who was born with a rare muscle deformity, this is everyday life. “I was forced to dig the hole for her behind my mud-walled house because I could not afford the recommended walking aid equipment,” said the girl’s grandmother, Elizabeth Nelima, 60.

According to her, making the eight-year-old granddaughter stand in the hole every day could help her gradually learn to walk.

She says she could not afford the Sh500 per physiotherapy session recommended for the little girl. “Her mother went in search of greener pastures and has never returned home.

“I could not just sit there and watch my granddaughter’s health continue to deteriorate. I put rags and some pieces of wood in the hole to ensure her safety and to keep the place dry,” she noted.

Nelima lowers her granddaughter into the makeshift hole every morning before leaving, after massaging her legs with petroleum jelly.

Usually, the routine takes about two hours. “I have to time myself because, after attending to her, I go looking for menial jobs in the neighbourhood to make ends meet,” she told The Standard.

Unlike other children her age, Nanjala is not cheerful and has never seen the inside of a classroom. Poverty, disability and the lack of structured support have kept her isolated at home.

“I want to take her to school, although I was told she needs to attend a special school,” Nelima noted.

Disability rights advocate Isaac Wanyonyi says children, such as Nanjala require proper therapy and rehabilitation.

Orthopaedic consultant Dr Alex Juma says people with physical disabilities require proper accessibility support, noting that wheelchairs make it easier for caregivers to move them around.

He emphasised that early intervention and education are critical, noting that when children with disabilities remain at home for years, they lose developmental opportunities that are difficult to regain.

“We urge proper care and healthy eating. The National Council for Persons with Disabilities encourages caregivers to ensure affected children join social groups, which can help them access funding from the national government. Strategies also need to be put in place to collect accurate data on people living with disabilities and to establish schools in sub-counties where such children can receive education without discrimination,” Juma noted.

“We must also ensure safer environments for them in schools, churches and hospitals. If possible, a stipend should be allocated to support their schooling,” he added.

Waswa Foundation Programme Director Isaac Wanjekeche said many children with disabilities are hidden at home. “At the foundation, we conduct assessments to determine the support each child needs. We address logistical challenges and gaps in assistive devices. We have received more than 100 applications from children who require assistance, but cannot attend school,” he said, lauding the Walkabout Foundation for its partnership.

The foundation Director Caro Mureithi said the organisation provides wheelchairs to ease mobility and enable caregivers to work. She warned that beneficiaries found selling donated wheelchairs risk losing the support.

Beryl Amutala, a parent, said caring for a child with a disability requires patience and full-time attention.

“Without a wheelchair, mobility is a major challenge. The child cannot mingle or play with others despite being talented. I appeal to well-wishers to help us get a wheelchair,” she said.

Steven Barasa and Margaret Kinisu, parents of children with similar conditions, said donated wheelchairs would ease their burden and allow them to focus on income-generating activities.

Bungoma Governor Kenneth Lusaka said the county has rolled out the fourth phase of wheelchair distribution in partnership with Walkabout, with at least 420 wheelchairs distributed so far.

Meanwhile, the Joseph Waswa Foundation, in partnership with Walkabout, is providing standing frames to help children stand safely and begin rehabilitation with dignity.