Physical Disability

Babita Kumari Kewot is a 10 years old from Gonaha Village Development Committee, Ward No. 4, Khajuri, Rupandehi district, Nepal. Babita suffers from both of her legs club foot (Congenital Talipes Equino Varus, rigid type). She came in contact with PNL 4 years back through PNL Counseling Centre which is 6 km south of her home. Babita’s parents do not have enough resources for food from their land because of which her father works as a daily wage labourer in loading and unloading trucks that is 25 km away from their home. There are 7 members in their family depending on his only earning. Babita’s younger sister who is 3 years old also cannot walk around. According to the parents she fell down from the house-roof when she was quite small.
As soon as Babita came in contact with PNL she had been referred to the hospital for surgery. Unfortunately, now both of her feet have become rigid type. This is because of her parents’ negligence in regular physiotherapy and not using shoes provided by the hospital.

Babita’s parents hesitated to let her go for surgery again because they don’t want to spend 3 to 6 months in the hospital with their child. PNL suggested the family to go for Babita’s re-surgery with her mother as care taker and at the same time to start first investigation for their younger child as well who is also physically disabled. They did not take care of this.
Babita’s mother is a member in one of the Self Help Groups of PNL’s activities of community development. Being a member in the Self Help Group she was advised by other members in her group about taking her daughter for treatment. Women health volunteers also counseled her to take the child to the hospital. It is disappointing that Babita’s parents are still ignorant. Therefore, PNL decided to withhold processes for Babita’s further treatment for the time being. Our attempt to convince this family will still go on.

Gonaha Village Development Committee is an area where most of the people from Terai origin reside. They are the permanent inhabitants of this place. People in these communities come from different castes and creeds. Most of them are illiterate and are of conservative nature. This area covers the villages bordering Nepal and India. The area being in the border many people of this place migrate to India and as well as in other parts of Nepal in search of job. These people have a nature of not easily accepting changes. They hardly accept changes. This could be one of the main reasons that the people of this place do not see any difference in keeping their children with disabilities without treatment even though they know that treatment would bring changes in the lives of their children. On the other hand, there are some families in the same communities who have accepted for the treatment of their children with physical disabilities and are happily living lives.