Laisa Chimtengo, a six-year-old from Machinjiri with a spina bifida condition, has become the seventh beneficiary of a new house from Child Help Organisation.
The organisation, dedicated to the welfare of children suffering from spina bifida and hydrocephalus, began an initiative last year to construct fifteen houses for families of children with these conditions.
These families’ homes were destroyed by Cyclone Freddy in 2022.
Executive Director of the organisation, Blessings Chapweteka, added that their commitment is to fulfil their promise to these families.
Chapweteka highlighted the importance of decent housing for the wellbeing of children with spinal bifida and hydrocephalus.
“Spina bifida is a disability which is present at birth, a child is born with a swelling at the back and this affects the discharge of urine and stools hence we train the guardians to assist the children inside the house so when Cyclone Freddy came in 2022 children with spinal bifida and hydrocephalus were the worst hit as houses collapsed so we prioritized construction decent houses for them to maintain their dignity,” Chapweteka explained.
Child Help has constructed houses for children with similar conditions in Ndirande, Blantyre, Chiradzulu, Zomba, and Phalombe, among other areas.
