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Keeping the Faith: The Story Of Tatu Shabani
11 July 2006 As she watched Tatu run with the other children, it was at this moment she knew the reason for her visit to Africa. Gwen Jones, 27, NZ, volunteered with GVN in Tanzania for 6 weeks. She is a qualified Physiotherapist who spent her time abroad working in a school for children with disabilities. She donated her time and skills along with a big box of school supplies from play-doh to puzzle books. "I knew I was going to be placed in a disabled school but had no idea what disabilities they had and how severely affected they were" said Gwen. As she began to play soccer with the children she was mesmerised by a little girl running along late to school. She was six years old and very skinny. As she ran with the other children she would fall flat face in the dirt but would always brush herself back up with a smile on her face. This girl was Tatu Shabani and she has bilateral club feet, a condition developed in utero where both feet turn inwards. Although she suffers this condition Tatu has learnt to walk on the outsides of her inwardly rotated feet. "I decided that Tatu was the reason I'd taken this volunteer placement. You cannot help everyone you meet or nearly as many people as you wish you could, but Tatu is someone my medical knowledge can make a difference for that will have a huge impact on her life and open future opportunities," said Gwen. She bonded with Tatu instantly and made a promise to herself and Tatu's family that she would do her utmost to follow through Tatu's medical needs at whatever cost. "Tatu loved to be picked up and cuddled, she would cling to me like a koala bear on a gum tree and would be happy to stay there if I didn't sit her down at her desk," said Gwen. Tatu was born with this condition and although she has had an operation at the age of 1 to try to correct her feet, due to the lack of resources and poor follow-up, the surgery failed. Tatu is the youngest of her 3 siblings who are all healthy. As they each grow up together, at some stage in Tatu's growth her feet will no longer be able to hold her body weight. Her steps in adulthood will be painful. "With poor access to wheelchairs and lack of resources, Tatu's future looks no brighter than the beggar I saw at Karikoo markets walking on his knees," said Gwen. Gwen was determined to extended her helping hand out further. In her spare time outside of working with the other children she began to contact hospitals and medical professionals to see if she could gain some tips for Physio treatment, and gain further advice to help Tatu's condition. She sent out lots of e-mails and waited in faith that something would come up. Gwen continued working with Tatu and set up a 'washing feet' scheme by supplying her family with anti bacterial soap and a towel, along with antiseptic cream and Band-aids. She also incorporated healthy eating and some stretches in Tatu's daily routine at school. Tatu is a very smart girl who is only in a mentally disabled class due to her physical disability. Gwen took Tatu into the Muhumbili Government hospital to meet a doctor and discuss future options and also to access her medical records. As her case was very unique the doctor did some x rays and blood tests to confirm she would be safe for an operation. During Gwen's visit to the local hospital she was shocked by the conditions. "There were three patients per bed, children in intensive care got a bed to themselves and there was one cylinder of oxygen for all patients in the room to share around. This was enough to see that I needed to look abroad to get the best results for Tatu," said Gwen. The time had come to leave Tanzania behind, Gwen was still holding on to high hope that something more could be done to save Tatu. Once she arrived home she received an e-mail from Moira Kelly of the Children's First Foundation, a charity that specialises in flying children from third world nations to Australia for surgery. The moment she read the e-mail her heart leapt. The organisation accepted Tatu's case and is planning to fly her out to Australia in January 2007 for surgery. The surgical and travel costs are all covered by the organisation. Tatu will stay in a children's farm where she is clothed, cared for, and loved. Once comfortably rehabilitated, Tatu will receive her surgery in a private hospital with Gwen by her side to take care of her, before returning back home to her family in Tanzania. Gwen has always been drawn in by the needy in Africa. At the age of 11, Gwen fundraised money for World Vision's Forty-hour Famine. When she was young she also managed to convince her family to sponsor a child in Tanzania. This is also the forth year in a row now that Gwen will participate in the Oxfam Trail-walker Race, and before arriving at her placement in Tanzania she participated on the Mount Kilimanjaro hike. Through every single activity she has done to help those in need, Gwen has been determined and kept faith. Gwen volunteered with the Global Volunteer Network, a non-government organization based in New Zealand, which connects people to communities in need. Faith is the substance for things hoped for, and through the desperate times, Gwen held on to her faith and made great efforts to keep her promise to the family of Tatu Shabani, and she has succeeded. If you want to donate to Tatu for further information see, http://www.gvnfoundation.org/whatyoucando/donate/tatu.php |
Kilimanjaro