Medical services
OB Nigeria Aids Orphanage for the Deaf
CBN.com – OB Nigeria recently visited a school for the handicapped in central Nigeria to lend support to the school’s efforts to help children who are speech and hearing-impaired.
In a society that places little value on such challenged children, the school runs a small orphanage for some street children who have been left to fend for themselves by parents or guardians.
In other situations they have rescued children who were forced into manual labor as this was the only thing their parents or guardians thought they were fit to do. This was because these children were unable to speak or hear and didn’t have the skills to communicate any other way.
Rescued from a life of bondage!
Eight year old Dara was one such child who was forced into manual labor when it was discovered that she could neither hear nor speak. Made to wake up as early as 4am to fill multiple drums of water before sunrise, Dara quickly became lean and unhealthy. She was also forced to trek long distances carrying heavy loads on her head.
One day as Dara was struggling with heavy stacks of firewood on her head; she heard what sounded like a snap in her chest and immediately fell to the ground, writhing in pain. Her load tumbled down on top of her! Because she could not communicate what had happened, her guardian, who thought was just weak and lazy, was completely unsympathetic, forcing her to get back on her feet and resume the long trek back to town with her load!
Dara developed severe chest pains. Her chest started to swell. It took the intervention of the proprietress of the school to get her released from her cruel guardians and enrolled into her school to learn how to communicate with sign language as well as to equip her with crucial life skills.
Today, Dara is happy as she has met other children who share the same challenges. She can communicate with them and is learning new skills that will help her earn a living in the future!
Operation Blessing in Nigeria is supporting the orphanage and has started by donating blankets for the school’s dormitories which are very useful during the cold harmattan season in Nigeria. Plans are also underway to provide the children with mattresses.
According to the Regional Director of CBN Africa, “OB will do what it can to make sure the children are given the opportunity to live good lives.”
Many of the children in the school were previously forced to beg for assistance or made to engage in manual labor for their welfare. The skills they will pick up here will better equip them to face the challenges of life.
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