Today’s story comes from Burundi, a landlocked nation in the Great Lakes region of east/central Africa.
Over 90% of the population works in agriculture and depends on subsistence farming, living on crops that include manioc, bananas, beans, sweet potatoes, and sorghum. Less than 2% of the local diet consists of meat.
Five years ago, a 34-year-old mother of four named Alphonsine began to lose mobility due to unknown causes possibly related to kwashiorkor, a form of malnutrition caused by a lack of protein.
She can stand, with the help of crutches, for less than five minutes before her legs give out.
With no caregiver available, Alphonsine depends on one of her children to help her when she needs assistance, but thanks to your generosity, she received a new GEN_2 wheelchair from Food For the Hungry, our local distribution partner.
“I had lost hope and was isolated from other members of the community,” expressed Alphonsine, “but because of this wheelchair, I’m able to go to church, visit neighbors, and socialize with them. I feel very happy for this gift of mobility!”
Because of you, individuals like Alphonsine are free to leave the confines of their homes and engage in community with others.
Thank you for transforming the lives of more than one million people living with disabilities in developing nations.
Together, we can transform one million more by 2025.
