Generally we are happy to show the faces of the children in our reports but as this story is to give an indication as to the suffering and sadness that many of the children go through in their young lives we have this instance obscured the child’s face and changed her name to ‘Noy’. The following report is from Liz who made a Home visit yesterday. The lunch and shopping trip was financed by one of our UK sponsors (not the child’s sponsor) who wished to make a special day for a child and had heard about ‘Noy’ from our website.).
In order to make sense of this report, we have just learned that this little on was abandoned after 8 days, and her parents haven't been seen since. The people she called Mum and Dad are actually grandparents. "Dad" died two years ago of leukaemia and liver failure (he was an alcoholic) and it would seem that in order to ease the present financial burden the family has been split up. The information is a bit convoluted, but this is what we understand...
"Mum's" brother is a bandsman in the army (he has 1 more year to go) and sending home 4,000 B per month. At the home where ‘Noy’ now is, the paternal grandma is selling second-hand goods to make their income. However, this is a close community and the water and electricity comes from next door, and they are not charged for it. There is a younger 'brother and sister' living there also. Her 'brother' is in grade 1.
Most of this information was given by the Community Head, as grandma (extremely young looking, I might add) was taking a shower when we arrived.
I don't think this little girl was entirely happy to be taken from her "Mum"and two other 'siblings' and transferred to her present home. She looked so unhappy as she viewed the pile of things outside the house - which is a long narrow building made from breeze block - extremely dark and hot. There are several rooms off the passageway through, but since people were in them, Suky couldn't take photographs. We understand that there are periods when the children have to be looked after by someone else as grandma has to sell on the market, but the details weren't clear.
They need new supports for the roof, as the existing struts are in two pieces and are beginning to look decidedly weak at these joints and they are afraid they will collapse. It occurs to us that it shouldn't be too difficult to introduce some light by removing some of the breeze blocks and replacing them with the solid glass blocks. That would have to be sanctioned by the owner, of course.
‘Noy’ had already eaten by the time she was released into our care an hour later, and so our lunch was ice cream. Still it was Swenson's, so no complaints there! She ate every bit and seemed totally awed by being in such a big store. It was difficult to get a smile out of her.
She was thrilled to be able to choose some dresses for herself, but there wasn't a lot to choose from really, as she falls into the early teen range (she's a quite a tall sturdy child for her age). However we found some very pretty Barbie sandals (which she took with her back to school after our Home Visit, as she was going on to Islamic studies afterwards) and some underwear. With the money that was left we got Dunkin' Donuts to share with the family.
She was wearing someone else's school blouse as they hadn't been able to buy the uniform yet, but that will be put right next week.
She was 14th in a class of 38 last year. Her favourite subject is English and her favourite colour is pink. When we asked her what she'd like to be when she grows up she said she'd like all her family to live together. Bless her, I could have wept!
100 Years From Today
It will not matter how big your bank account was, the sort of house you lived in, or the kind of car you drove. But the world may be a little better because your help touched the life of one child.
