Here at Oponganda every child is a work in progress, and we see the full potential in every child that comes through these doors. A few success stories that we have had in the past few years may seem like small victories, but being able to assist these children to improve their condition is the biggest accomplishment that we can have. Looking at Theresia she is now 9 years old, she first came to Oponganda center in 2007. Theresia is HIV positive and at that time she could not walk, she could not understand orders, and she was not able to interact socially with the other children. Over the past 2 years she has made huge strides. She is able to walk, she is one of the more social children at the center, and now she is able to understand orders and follow them. Being in a situation surrounded by peers is able to provide the stimulus that is needed for her to develop socially and developmentally. The center provides her not only with the physical stimulus, but also provides her with the nutrition that she needs to work with the ARV’s that she is taking. Without the donations from outside sources that we receive, Theresia’s progression would have probably not taken the same route.
Selma is another success story. She came to Oponganda in 2004, she was not able to use her hands and her feet, she had to walk on her knees and develop her own ways to counter the lack of dexterity. Over the past years being in the environment of Oponganda she has been able to progress socially, her ability to be independent has increased exponentially seeing that now she has worked on holding a pen and writing her name. She is currently attending a kindergarten program, and next year she will be attending a government primary school that she has already been accepted into. She also achieved the highest standards for the children entering grade one. In preparation for her arrival at the primary school she has been working on using a wheelchair. Currently she is able to wheel herself into a bathroom and use the bathroom independently.
One more success story that we have had just in the past few months is with Brian, another one of our children here. Brian came to the center in January of 2009. In the beginning he was only wearing diapers. At Oponganda we started assisting him in using the toilet. After continuous efforts and teaching him that when he needs to use the bathroom he can just go, Brian is now able to use the toilet and he no longer wears the diapers at the center and around his house. When Brian came he also had issues walking, he needed assistance to walk, and he would fall down constantly if he did not have support. Today at the center Brian is able to walk on his own and does not fall down. Being in the social environment of Oponganda, Brian has also been able mature socially in his interactions with the other people, and also gain his own independence in doing things on his own.
Oponganda Center strives to achieve these victories for each and every child. Every step along the way for each and every child shows us here at Oponganda that we can make a change in these children’s lives. From being able to use the bathroom, walking, to interacting with other children, Oponganda center opens up the doors for these children that may not have been able to be opened. As Mother Teresa once said “We can do no great things, only small things with great love.” Looking at this we here know what we are capable of bringing to these children, and we know that without the help of others none of this could be made possible. By working together we see that a change can be brought to these children.
