Update on CBM Ireland’s programme in DRC
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"May God bless those people who paid for my club foot surgery" - Rehema, aged nine
©CBM/Daniel Hayduk
An orthopaedic programme you helped to fund is helping children in Goma take their first steps
In the first six months …
• 164 club foot surgeries performed
• 70 community workers trained to identify and refer children with club foot for surgery
• 7 surgeons and 25 nurses trained in basic orthopaedic surgery
• 70 community workers trained to identify and refer children with club foot for surgery
• 7 surgeons and 25 nurses trained in basic orthopaedic surgery
Last August, with the support of Irish Aid, we launched our Kirotshe programme in Goma. This programme is helping children with a disability, like club foot, to walk for the first time in their lives.
We couldn’t have started this programme without you – thank you so much!
Our CEO, Sarah O’Toole, visited the programme in Goma last year, and witnessed the huge number of children there who were struggling with disability and living in poverty. Children like Rehema.
Rehema was born with club foot
Rehema is nine years old. She was born with two club feet. Living in a mountainous village, Rehema struggled to walk each day to get to school.
This all changed when Rehema received club foot surgery, through the Kirotshe programme. She’s now back in school, and doing all the things she’s never been able to do.
Now that Rehema can walk and get to school easily, she’s pursuing her life-long dream of becoming a nurse, so she can help to heal others.
“I am happy because I have been healed. I can play with friends – and walk with them to school.”
So far, 164 children like Rehema have received club foot surgery. And each child is receiving follow up care and rehabilitation.
In just six months you’ve helped us achieve so much. In the next six months we’re going to continue working hard to help as many children as we can in Goma.
