Over the past couple of months Judith has been trying to maintain the community OT service began by her predecessor Mirjam who has now returned to Germany. Visiting the disabled in their homes has been both inspiring and at other time heart wrenching.Inspiring to find the occasional home where the parent is devoted to their disabled child but painful to see the other extreme where, through fear, often ignorance and much stigma a child with disabilities is severely neglected.

Such is the case for Samuel (name changed). Samuel suffers from epilepsy,developmental delay and is malnourished.He is thought to be 9 years old but has the stature of a 3 year old.When we arrive at his home he is fast asleep on the ground outside having just fitted.He looks filthy, lying in his own urine and faeces.Flies are crawling into his mouth.He is bound by his ankle to a wooden construct with a short cord. For the family this is seemingly quite acceptable and normal. .What's more when the family are all required to go to to their garden to dig and cultivate, they see no option but to leave Samuel alone at home, bound lest he would wonder.He cannot distinguish what is edible from non edible and since he defeacates in the same area where he lies it is not difficult to see some of the many risks he faces.

How to support a child in this situation is one of the many challenges faced in the community.Samuel is one of many. As an 'outsider' it is so important however to first understand the culture and reasons for such treatment,which are many and not always down to a callous attitude.

Pray that as a team we can advise and facilitate the right way forward to give Samuel his basic right to dignity and an improved future