A Wheelchair Gift (Digital Download)
We have come across a few street children on the streets who are disabled. They don’t have wheelchairs so they have to crawl on the streets using their elbows to get around. They deserve the dignity of a wheelchair. The gift of a wheelchair will pay a contribution towards a wheelchair for a disabled child living on the streets.
How your gift has helped Laughter Africa children in the past:
One boy we gave a wheelchair too was Abdul. We first met Abdul living on the streets 7 years ago when he was 10 years old. He is disabled and didn’t have a wheelchair. He would crawl on his elbows to get around the streets. He had never been to school, but had taught himself to read and write on the streets. Three years ago he got the highest exam mark in his school in his NPSE. He has an amazing foster family who really love him; their only complaint is he never sleeps – he is always studying. He even took first place in a local spelling bee competition in his area in June 2021. He also coaches a local girls football team in his spare time. Abdul does not let his disability define who he is.
In January 2022, we provided Abdul with a brand new wheelchair. Sadly Abdul’s old wheelchair broke in October 2021 and ever since then his foster brother, Sahr Augustine, had been carrying him to school every day on his back. His school is not exactly round the corner either. Everyday Sahr Augustine did this without complaint dismissing any thanks as “he’s my brother- its what you do for your brother.” To say Abdul was delighted with his wheelchair would be an understatement, and although Sahr Augustine never complained we think he was secretly happy as well.
Abdul now has his independence back and can travel to school by himself. And it was worth it. Abdul sat the BECE last year- a year earlier than he should - and he got a brilliant mark of 23. He has just started SS3 and next year sits the WASCE (the Sierra Leone equivalent of A-levels). He is one step closer of achieving his dream of becoming a lawyer. Meanwhile his foster brother Sahr Augustine has just completed his first year at university. He is studying social work. He will be qualified by the end of next year.