Australian based Zimbabweans donate wheelchair

By Thandeka Matebesi

A group of Zimbabwean well-wishers based in Australia have come to the rescue of an 11-year old Nyamandlovu girl who was born with a disability by donating a wheelchair for her.

Speaking to community podium a local pastor, Johannes Moyo speaking on behalf of the family said Gugulethu Maseko was born with a condition in which the head is abnormally larger than the body which in turn affected the development of her limbs.

“I came to know about this girl in 2014 in Deli Community, Nyamandlovu under Umguza district. She is staying with her grandmother Stheni Ndlovu. She is about 11 years of age and when she was born it was discovered that she has a condition where the head is abnormally bigger than the body. Moreover, her limbs are not straight, particularly her right leg, even her arms were not stretching properly”, said Moyo.

Moyo added that Gugulethu has, in the past, failed to have the liquid in her head drained because of financial challenges.

“When she was a year old she was taken to Parirenyatwa Hospital where doctors tried to drain the liquid from her head. She was supposed to go for reviews every year but because of financial challenges she could not afford to go for reviews from the age of one. She had only one parent, her mother who could not afford the bills. Her father had passed on. At the age of two she was taken to to her grandmother in Deli while her mother went to search for a job in South Africa but she got married to someone else and Gugulethu continued to stay with her grandmother”, he said. 

He said: “She cannot walk or do anything for herself they have to shift her during sleep otherwise she cannot change sides during sleep. The shifting by third parties helps her avoid tampering with the tube attached to her.In the past, tempering with the tube resulted in further paralysis even on the leg that was a bit functional”.

 Moyo said the family had been appealing to different people for assistance until 2018 when the group from Australia came through for her.

Since 2014 when I met them we have been knocking on doors of different offices so that she may get assistance without success until 2018 when I shared the story with one member of the group which has assisted her. In 2018 they raised a bit of cash for her to be examined by a neurologist who then suggested that she gets assistance for rehabilitation and also for the tube to be attended to.

However, there was not much success with this initiative until two months back when the discussion on Gugulethu was resumed.

“The members agreed to raise funds for purchasing a wheelchair for the girl and also to provide assistance needed with regards to her health and food. Gugulethu finally received the wheelchair on Friday, and for the first time she could sit. She had been sleeping on the floor for the past 10 years. This has been some big development to the family, the community as well as the relatives” said Moyo.

He also expressed gratitude to the well-wishers who donated the wheelchair.

“As their pastor I am very grateful and I appreciate the assistance they gave in the form of a wheelchair. However, there is still need for her to get help with rehabilitating her limbs”, said Moyo.