Standing tall against discrimination
Success story of Yakub Abdul, JRS South Sudan
Mary Hali fled with her family from Blue Nile, Sudan in the year 2012 and opted to find peace at Doro refugee camp, Maban County of South Sudan.
They walked for 4 days without enough food and water but they were encouraged since they arrived safely and were settled at Doro camp within zone B.
In the year 2018, she was blessed with a baby boy named Yakub Abdul. However, when Yakub turned one year, she realised at that age, her son was not sitting and crawling.
Yakub mother says:
“The neighbours continuously came by my house only to gaze at my son and say that he is disabled and he will never walk. I pretended to be strong by responding to them that I still love my son despite of his situation and God had better reasons. However, deep down my heart I cried and felt sorry for my son”
The mother narrates that, she felt Maban had changed from a place of peace to criticism and discrimination. Out of the odds, one day a home visitor who works with JRS visited her home and referred her to JRS day care center . On 26/03/2019, an occupational therapist conducted assessment and diagnosed Yakub with cerebral palsy caused by birth asphyxia.
Yakub was booked to attend therapy session thrice in a week. He was transported from home to the center and back, he was then offered with active, passive and strengthening exercises, trained him on positions that facilitated sitting and bearing of his weight. The mother laments,
“I observed how the day care staffs were massaging my son and I wondered if those tricks would make my son sit or even walk. What made me to continue to bring my son for the sessions is that one day, I overheard another mother who said that her daughter was not sitting but now she can sit”
After 3 months, Yakub was able to sit without support, he was supported with standing aid and walking frame to train him on delayed development of standing and walking. Due to covid 19, the sessions were reduced to once in a week, however, this did not stop the mother to continue with the home programme.
In February 2021, Yakub started to walk independently. His mother says
“thanks a lot to JRS and day care staffs for walking with me in this journey that has helped my son to walk, play with other children and he can feed by himself, the neighbours are mesmerised and amazed by JRS hardwork”
The occupational therapist encouraged Yakub’s mother to continue to bring her son to the day care center so that he will be trained on balance, independent in activities of daily living and cognitive skills that will be essential when he will reach the age to join pre-school.
