In 2016 I
worked at Phelisanong for 3 weeks out of
the corner of hut, using a small wooden bench, a few plastic chairs and some
toys I begged from Sentebale. The only physiotherapy equipment I had were 3
small Zimmer frames that I asked to be sent from Saint Angela’s children’s
centre.
In 2017 I
brought more physio equipment from the UK, including 2 posterior walkers and
began to aspire to a bigger and more suitable space for physiotherapy. Somewhere
safe to store my growing store of equipment, somewhere big enough for the
children to play and do their exercises, and somewhere to be a permanent focus
for physiotherapy at Phelisanong, even when I wasn’t there. By chance the opportunity came with a bequest
made by the late John Ellis, a member of the Dolen Cymru board.
I made a
quote for a physiotherapy house and the idea gathered momentum. I returned to the UK to raise money and
organise equipment for the prosed physio
house. By chance a charity I had contact with, Action Ireland, agreed to ship
this equipment out. In February 2018 I met this equipment in Lesotho and
travelled with it to Phelisanong.
Once at
Phelisanong, supported by Dolen Cymru I liaised with a Lesotho builder and the physiotherapy
house was started. When I left the roof was ready to be put on and by the end
of April, the exterior was finished, however it had yet to be turned into the
physiotherapy house I envisaged.
Back in the
UK it was difficult to keep the momentum going, then in one day in May, looking
on Facebook, I noticed a British builder had turned up at Phelisanong. He was keen
to help to help disabled children and started to build a dormitory extension on
the physio house. Mamello thought it would be good idea if the some of the
children most involved in physiotherapy could sleep in an adjoining bedroom to
help them to do their exercises daily basis.
I contacted
the builder, Richard, on his return finding out he was part of a small charity,
Africa’s Gift, and would be returning at the end of the year with a small team
of builders to finish the dormitory block. I asked if he could also finish the
physio house for me and arranged to go back with him.
…and so, I am
hoping to meet Richard next week at Manchester airport, flying with him to South
Africa, jumping in his hire truck and then driving to Phelisanong. What could
possibly go wrong ?
I’ve never
met him but feel that its all meant to be and is a great opportunity to finish
the physio house and get it up and running.
Meanwhile
Action Ireland have agreed once again to give me container space to take out
physiotherapy equipment. The last 6 weeks have been a frenzy of tracking down
the equipment I want, begging for freebies and getting some great bargains off
eBay.
I’ve added 3
more posterior walkers to complete the set at Phelisanong. Special supportive
seating, including two Panda seats, each seat worth more than £1000, one came free
from stores, one was £85 off eBay. I have more than a hundred pairs of supportive
ankle boots, free from the NHS’s overflowing stores of redundant equipment.
Splints, orthotics, toys and assorted physio paraphernalia.
The lovely
Steve is taking it all to Dublin at the beginning of November when I am in
Lesotho. I have no idea how he will get it all in his small van, but
fortunately he is the master of packing and I am very grateful for all his
help. Hopefully I will catch up with the container equipment sometime in 2019.
My more
immediate concerns are my rendezvous with Richard (who tells me he is short,
fat and bald, so will obviously stand out from the crowd at Manchester
airport), and trying to fit a walking frame, crutches , boots and various other
physio equipment into my luggage allowance, while still having enough weight
left over for my personal kit. Watch this space to see how it all goes. See you
in Lesotho …
