DISABLED CHILD ONE OF MANY TO RECEIVE URGENT HELP FROM NON-GOVERNMENT ORGANISATIONS

Spinal Injury Association of Fiji (SIA), and the Fiji Disabled Peoples Federation recently travelled to Tauveni to distribute ‘dignity packs’ (diapers, towels, soap, blankets etc) to disabled people in areas still suffering from TC Winston. They visited numerous villages and made a number of deliveries, whilst also assessing them for further needs. Here is just one of those stories.

Emali Veikoso lives in Welagi Village on the Northern side of Taveuni Island. She was born normal, but was severely physically impaired at nine months old with meningitis. For the last twelve years she has grown up lying on the floor of her room, and both of her parents left, leaving her in the care of her elderly grandparents.

Emali needs 24-hour care, and is unable move voluntarily, she lies in bed and needs to be turned, bathed, dressed and fed. Her food is mashed then strained but when we visited Emily she had refused to swallow her meals for two days. As her grandfather said: “Sometimes it reflects to us that maybe she wants something or she is in pain or she doesn’t like her food but we cannot communicate with her”.

“Medications prescribed over the years have not improved her condition since she sometimes suffers fits maybe when she’s hungry or soils her clothes”, he added, and they are struggling with the cost of diapers.

During TC Winston the family took shelter in their home but they worry as if they had to move from home in a similar event it would be a struggle as Emali has to be lifted by two or more people. When the SIA arrived with a dignity pack her grandfather’s face and lit up and the mood in the house lifted knowing that someone out there cared.

Emali’s grandparents have received no other aid since TC Winston. They had despaired for their beloved Emali but now feel there is hope. “I am depending on you and your organization” the emotional grandfather said. “May God bless the work you do for people like Emali.”

Emali is in need of a further supply of diapers, a specialised bed and custom fitted wheelchair with neck brace so that she can get outside her four walls for the first time in her young life, and the SIA will be following up with further help for Emali.

SIA Executive Director, Joshko Wakaniyasi said: “Heartbreaking stories such as these are all too common, especially after TC Winston. The SIA is a small organisation that relies heavily on a small number of dedicated staff and volunteers. We do what we can to assist as many people as we can, and we are proud that we have been able to help thousands of disabled Fijians with the generous support of donors and partners including Vodafone Fiji ATH, PhysioNet UK and Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade.”
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“But if we are to meet demand and continue to provide aid to people like Emali we need continued support from the public and private sectors.”