|
Donate Now
Change the lives of the world's most vulnerable.
|
A Kenyan mother’s struggle during food crisis
 |
|
Lucy, with Daniel and Caroline in their hut during the Horn of Africa food crisis, July 2011 |
|
In July 2011, the cbm team assessing the food crisis in Kenya met the young mother of a boy with cerebral palsy. She has taken in another child with cerebral palsy who had been abandoned in the forest. Their story highlights the specific difficulties met by many families with member who have a disability. |
‘The biggest problem for us is food’
Lucy is a 35-year old woman living in the outskirts of Meru, a city in the centre of Kenya. Her husband left her when their son Daniel, now seven, was born with cerebral palsy. In this culture a woman can be seen as cursed if she has a child with a disability.
The drought has made it very difficult for Lucy to feed her family. In that rural region, the results of the drought are obvious with few animals and fields barren. In some parts it has not rained for two years. Prices have increased due to the scarcity of food and high cost of fuel for transport.
On the day the cbm team visited her, Lucy was returning from collecting firewood, which she gathers from the forest to sell. The drought has meant they no longer have meat or vegetables. They eat porridge once a day and twice if they can.
|
cbm Emergency Response Manager, Valerie Scherrer, holding Daniel |
|
|
Abandoned in the forest
|
Lucy's timber hut |
Recently, some villagers found a little girl with cerebral palsy who was abandoned in the forest. They accused Lucy of abandoning her child. Lucy protested and showed them her son was still at home. The local officials said Lucy should look after the child, as she knows about the condition. Lucy accepted but a lot of pressure was applied.
She has welcomed the child in her tiny timber hut, which she rents for 300 Kenyan shillings per month (approx. €2.30). She now treats her like Daniel’s sister – they’re the same age - and has named her Caroline.
Caring for her family, which now consists of two children with cerebral palsy, is very difficult for Lucy. Sometimes she feels she will not be able to make it, she loses hope and cries but the fact that she hangs on and looks after the children shows her strength. |
Teaching by example
Despite Lucy’s situation it has meant some positive changes within the community. Previously children with disability were hidden away due to the stigmatising from others in the community.
Now many families have brought their children out because Lucy has made the community aware. As Lucy’s story demonstrates, in times of food crisis, solidarity and open-mindedness are more crucial than ever.
|
Lucy
|
|
|
Postscript: Hope is restored
|
Lucy (left) in front of the shop
where she can get free food |
Soon after Lucy was met by the cbm team, a food distribution programme was set up by cbm and its local partner organisation, SPARK, that will reach close to 1,700 vulnerable households in the district of Meru. They will receive regular rations of cereals, pulses and cooking oil during a first-phase period of three months.
For Lucy, this means an account has been opened for her in a nearby shop where she can get free food. Lucy is also moving to a new house that was donated to her and is closer to town. The move will allow Caroline and Daniel to receive rehabilitation care.
This intervention has dramatically changed Lucy’s morale. She says that her prayers were answered. Now that she gets help, her self-esteem has improved, she can take better care of the children and there are even signs of progress in her own appearance. The children look healthy and Lucy understands the benefits of therapy for them. |
|
There have even been positive repercussions in Lucy’s relations with her family. Lucy’s father had never been to Lucy’s hut, as in the local tradition a father cannot enter his daughter’s house. After cbm and its partner’s intervention, he has taken the measure of the difficulties she faced and he has promised to build a good house for her, after the drought. |
|
Signup for our e-newsletter