ELIBARIKI PETER DEA

Elibariki Peter Dea is a 10 years old boy, experiencing physical disability with Cerebral Palsy and Mental challenge.

Lives in Mbagala (Kipati), Temeke ditrict, Dar es Salaam. He was born at Kizuiani hospital; he is a twin of Winfrida Peter Dea (twinsister). Elibariki and his twin sister are the first born in a family of three children, their young brother is Nelly Peter Dea. His father is Peter John Dea (petty businessman) and his mother is Veronica George Mpepo (housewife).

According to his mother, Elibariki and his twinsister had a normal birth but 12 weeks after birth, Elibariki was attacked by yellow fever and was taken to hospital for medication at Kizuiani hospital. Since then, Elibariki grow up development was poor compared to his twin sister as he could not stand or walk. His mother did not know what to do with her little child but when she went to hospital she was told that the child will recover to his normal condition. When Elibariki was 8 months old that is when her mother knew that elibariki was physically disabled and has mental challenges.

Elibariki used to attend to CCBRT’s Support unit in Mbagala Zakheim for physiotherapy, but was shifted to Matumaini Centre for Disability in Majimatitu (Mbagala) where he attends once every week. He was identified by TRACED on August 2012 and was provided with a wheelchair from TRACED.

Elibariki needs to attend physiotherapy exercises more often for his rehabilitation and TRACED has included him in Individual Programme Plan under Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) volunteers working with TRACED for Dar es Salaam branch.

Read More ->>

CHAUSIKU RAMADHAN

Chausiku  Ramadhan  is 12 years old girl, lives in Mwembemkole street in Bagamoyo district within Coastal region, Tanzania. She is a deafblind from birth, born first among four children in the family. The name of the father is Ramadhani Mohamed(37)years, he is a fisherman and the name of mother is  Tukae Jumbe (36). The mother is a house wife but she has a food kiosk at the place she live rented two rooms.

Although there was a normal delivery but she was not able to open eyes. Her parents sent Chausiku to local medication and hospital during struggling for her vision and hearing abilities. Unfortunately, lucky was not on her side. According to her mother, the cause of Chausiku’s condition is unknown.

Chausiku,a congenitally deafblind in the Community Based Rehabilitation CBR programme under support of Sense International (T)  was among the 12 deaf blind children identified in Bagamoyo district  for the year 2011. The deafblind children are more at risk environment. When TRACED identified Chausiku at first she could not manage to walk, seat alone in a good posture, feed (eat) herself, and had a sleepless at nights.  That is she could not have a daily living  (ADL) skills. This was a big challenge to  Chausiku  Ramadhani.

In 2011,  Ms Batuli Seleman  as a Community  Based Rehabilitation (CBR) volunteer she was assigned for her rehabilitation with twice home visits in every week. The improvement is marked since home visits started by TRACED

Chausiku is now able to sleep at night because of keeping her tired during the day hours…’’remarks her mother with joy. Chausiku’s parents are seeing their role in establishing the child’s independence in the home environment for the day when the child is expected for schooling. Her mother alongside with TRACED- Community Based Rehabilitation  Worker (CBW) is now struggling to teach function skills (ADL) that would also be useful in the home and school environment under inclusive approach introduced by  FRORA Inclusive  Day Care Centre.

In order to ensure that Chausiku is being rehabilitation under the inclusive approach this early year the family was advice by TRACED  that the two brothers (who are twins) to be enrolled at FRORA Inclusive Day Care Centre.

Challenges which a facing Chausiku and her two brothers  to attend regularly at FRORA Inclusive Day Care Centre  

·         During rainy season it is not possible to attend because at present Chausiku and her two brother are being ferry by  two motorcycles provided by Erikshjalpen in 2011.

·         Stigmatization of some people  in Bagamoyo towards disabled children in the community, this is even worse to the case of Chausiku Ramadhan who is a deafblind Child. When there is no any family member  to accompany the team of Chausiku and her two twins brothers – Hussein and Hassan, that mean they will not attend to the centre.

Read More ->>

HERIETH SOSTENENCE

My names are Herieth Sostenence, am 14 years old, pupil at Mugeza primary school in Bukoba district.

It is a superstitious/witchcraft thing that happened to me on  3^rd day after birth.

My mother tried to take me to several hospitals without any success and doctors declared that I will not be able to see again. Nobody told me anything about my father and when I was 9 years old my mother who is a Rwandese went back to her home country and left me with my aunt.

 In 2009 my aunt took me to Mugeza Special School where I was enrolled in standard one. However  at my aunt’s life was very difficult her husband could not accept me and he was treating me like a slave, he could take me to the farm and give me all kind of hard work that were unreasonable considering my age and my condition as blind.

Due to all these maltreatments, my aunt decided to take me to the Tumaini Children Centre an orphanage under Lutheran Church which has been my guardian to date.

Despite being in school I still feel that life is not fair to me since I wish I could meet my mother and my brothers and sisters and I also feel bad because if not for blindness I could have been in secondary school by now.

My dream is to become a teacher.

I call upon the community not to look down on us since we did not ask to be born this way.

Read More ->>

OMARY RAMADHANI MSUMI

My names are Omary Ramadhani Msumi, I am 43 years old living in Dundani village Mkuranga district Coastal region.

I got impairment in 1991 when I was attacked by disease in God graces I lost my eyes. To be honest my life is not good together with my family we depend on agriculture for our daily bread.

I have been facing several life challenges including; transportation from one point to another, economic hardship is the barrier towards addressing some problems facing my family. Most of the time when I face challenges the only thing I do is to use my energy depending on the situation to deal with them. Due to our life situation we are working tirelessly to make sure we address challenges.

I have tried to pass in different administrative office from local to central government so as to get support, but I got nothing than disappointments.

I had several dreams in my life:  First was to build the mosque for community worship so as to get God graces in this life and the life after. Secondly, I wished to have a sustainable income to support my family by making them have a standard life. Those are my dreams and God knows what comes next if I will reach them or not.

I have not given up my dreams since I know God is there and will remain there, though I am in this condition but I still believe I can make it with God graces.

There are some challenges which are direct connected to domestic needs such as supporting my children education needs, also maintaining good health of my family by making sure they access health care and so forth. I am proud of my family because they love and care for me.

My suggestion to the government and the community at large is that, they have to find and expose us wherever we are. We have a lot to tell, we are talented, we can produce and be useful to our society only we need is support. We can be good animal keepers as well as business person.

This will make many PWDs not to give up their lives because most of them do give up because they don’t know where they are going. So I call for all stakeholders to search for PWDs and get their views and I appreciate your coming.

Read More ->>