Crying For Help

CALISTUS KOLANTSHO
Correspondent | Monday February 1, 2010 00:00

 

But to the Obonetse family, which has been unfortunate on two occasions, joy and happiness from birth has been scarce. 'It all started when I gave birth to Maikano in 1992. He was born handicapped.

He could not walk or do anything that a normal child would do. In 1994, I gave birth to another child, Dimpho who had the same condition as Maikano. My two babies cannot walk. They cannot speak but they understand when someone talks to them. Their knees are always sore due to the dry soil that they crawl on,' said Kgotsong Obonetse, the mother of the two boys. She explained that her two boys only crawl, though one is 18 and the other is 16.She said to make matters worse, the father of the boys is admitted at Nyangabgwe Referral Hospital. She explained that her husband fell sick in Francistown where he had gone to seek employment after being fired from the BCL mine.

Obonetse, who originates from Mogorosi village in the Central District but currently resides in Phase One Location in Selebi-Phikwe, said to put bread on the table, she had to join the Ipelegeng programme even though it does not pay much but it helps her to take care of her family.

She stated that the family gets food from sympathisers in the area. She has big problems looking after the boys because they demand special care fulltime as they eat harmful things if left unattended. When she goes to work, her daughter, Thato takes care of her brothers because she is unemployed.

Obonetse said the boys were taken to Thuso Rehabilitation Centre in Maun to try and train them to live a normal life. Unfortunately, the distance between Selebi-Phikwe and Maun proved prohibitive.

'My boys do not have a future because they cannot do anything for themselves. I also took them to Shashe Foundation but they were removed from the centre because I could not pay school fees of P180. I also took them for physiotherapy at Nyangabgwe but that did not work too,' said Obonetse with disappointment written on her face.

Her wish is to see her children trained in any field. But her family is poor and cannot afford to take them anywhere for special training that they need. She stated that the Selebi-Phikwe Town Council does not assist them much in terms of providing them with food rations and clothes because only one child has been registered in the programme.

She said that she tried to get one child registered but her request fell on deaf ears. She complained that the council does not give blankets to the children and the clothes are supplied once a year.

Obonetse said the family has a problem in securing accommodation in town because some members of the community shun the boys. 'I struggled to find this house that we are renting. It is not that I am failing to pay rent but it is the stigma against my children.

People are finding it hard to accept them. I have long applied for a residential plot but it seems like it is taking forever to get it,' said Obonetse.

The two boys do not wear pants but nappies. She explained that since the boys cannot go to the toilet to relieve themselves, it is safe to keep them in nappies.

Obonetse said her boys need assistance with special wheelchairs that have belts to prevent them from falling and sustaining injuries. She stated that the duo do not have friends in the neighbourhood because of their condition. What pains her most is that some children throw stones at her boys. She stated that the only thing that gives her  comfort is that God knows what He is doing and she loves her two boys with all her heart and there is nothing that can stop her from caring for them. 'Dimpho and Maikano are my bundles of joy. They are special to me and they are my little angels. I might be poor but God has got plans for us,' she said before giving them a hug.