WARNING: This is Version 1 of my old archive, so Photos will NOT work and many links will NOT work. But you can find articles by searching on the Titles. There is a lot of information in this archive. Use the SEARCH BAR at the top right. Prior to December 2012; I was a pro-Christian type of Conservative. I was unaware of the mass of Jewish lies in history, especially the lies regarding WW2 and Hitler. So in here you will find pro-Jewish and pro-Israel material. I was definitely WRONG about the Boeremag and Janusz Walus. They were for real.
Original Post Date: 2011-07-25 Time: 12:00:02 Posted By: News Poster
By Miriam Zimba
Some people have had to live all their lives with different kinds of disabilities, while others may be lucky to have their disabilities corrected by way of medical intervention.
Grace Gondo, now in her mid 40’s is a good example of those who never thought there is hope beyond her disability.
Ms Gondo said: “I recall that was a warm summer morning of 1978, when I was still in grade two. I was headed for school, when I suddenly made one wrong move, which changed my life forever. I stepped on a landmine by the roadside, and the next thing I remember is waking up in a hospital ward, with my left leg amputated just below my hip. From that day on, even if I was still a young girl, I knew my life had changed and would never be the same again.
“I spent about three months in hospital. After I was discharged, I went back home and I did not receive any help or support from anyone or any organisation. Of course there were some people who would come to my village to register names of victims of remnants of war such as landmines; they would even take pictures of us, raising our hope of getting the much sought after assistance, but to no avail.
“I then realised that these people were up to no good. They only used us to get sympathy from donors who would give them monies for their bogus organisations purporting to assist people like me.
“It was not until the Zambia Foundation for Landmine Survivors came to my village and asked me to enroll for a limb replacement programme, which they said they would sponsor.
“I thought it was just one of the many bogus organisations who had been before, but then I decided to follow my instincts and had my name registered. A few weeks later, I got a positive response from the organisation informing me that I was to travel to Lusaka’s Italian Hospital to have my lost leg replaced. Although it sounded farfetched, I still decided that it was worth the try.
“Today, I am here at the Italian Hospital, and after having seen some of my peers who came on crutches, now walking on artificial legs, it gave me hope that my life could be turned around.
“At this point, I knew I had made the right decision by coming here,” Ms Gondo narrates with a wavering smile on her face.
She recalls being found at home by the association, who immediately enlisted her as one of the people who were to benefit from the limb replacement fitment.
“Even though I did not think I could ever walk, I thought I would lose nothing, so I decided to give it a try,” she said.
Among the many challenges she has undergone due to her condition include not being able to actively engage and participate in an active income generating activity.
“Because these crutches hurt me a lot, there is a limitation to what I can do with myself in terms of activity. My children are unable to go to school, because I cannot raise money for their school expenses,” Ms Gondo narrates.
Another survivor Edward Siamenjumbu of Gwembe Valley, who is in his late teen years, has a story quite similar.
Edward’s ordeal was back in 2000 while playing soccer with his peers, “all I remember hearing was a loud blast and later only to discover that my right leg was amputated slightly above the knee,” he recalls.
After spending close to a year in hospital and the subsequent death of his father, Edward was taken in by one of his aunties, who saw him through his basic education up to grade nine.
In as much as he would have wanted to continue with his education, his dreams were shattered by financial constraints, when his auntie was no longer able to sponsor him beyond grade nine.
He said how his life took a different turn after leaving school.
Edward felt stigmatised because of not being able to take part in activities such as cattle herding and agricultural activities, which formed a greater part of his peers’ daily activities.
Zambia Foundation for Landmine Survivors chairperson Yona Phiri, says that the decision to form an association for victims who suffered the effects of remnants of war was borne out of the cries of innocent civilians who themselves experienced or knew people who suffered the traumas.
The association was established in 2008, with an intention to empower victims and other people with disabilities (amputees), to enable them recover from the trauma to reclaim their lives and fulfill their human rights.
The association’s area of catchment has a membership of about 180 members.
“Zambia supported the liberation struggle for neighbouring countries and some of these countries are believed to have planted landmines along Zambia’s borders, some of which have remained undiscovered,” he said.
In applauding Government efforts aimed at de-mining areas known to be affected by landmines, Mr Phiri called on the Government to reconsider carrying out another survey to ensure that all remnants of war such as landmines are completely removed.
The survey carried out by his organisation aided by a Norwegian non-governmental organisation identified and registered 57 victims in Zambia who are scheduled to undergo limb replacement.
Most of these victims have lost their limbs making it difficult for them to move around independently and that is why the association has decided to help replace the lost limbs with artificial ones, to enable the victims be able to actively participate in living a meaningful life.
The law on landmines enacted in 2003 seeks to empower victims who have suffered effects of remnants of war with medical, social and economic support.
“We want to complement what the Government has put in place. We want to demonstrate that we are capable enough to manage our affairs, and help our friends in need,” he said.
According to a survey conducted in 2007, Southern, Eastern, Luapula, Western and North Western provinces are the areas identified in the survey as having the largest numbers of people affected.
In some parts of the country such as Mapatizya in Southern Province and some places in Eastern Province, landmines are known to have exploded in open public places such as markets.
The survey indicates that there are still more discoveries of these items even as people in various parts of Zambia carry on with their daily routines such as cultivation of land for agriculture or other forms of developments when they still discover these explosives.
Unfortunately, just like every good programme that is well intended for the benefits of the victims of such circumstances, there have been some unscrupulous people going around promising these victims assistance and collecting their particulars and taking their pictures.
And Prosthetics and Orthotics manager at Lusaka’s Italian Hospital Isaac Zyambo said a total of 10 victims have had their limbs replaced and that the programme is on-going.
Mr Zyambo said after the limb replacement surgery, the victims are then taken through a series of community based rehabilitation (CBR), which involves teaching the victims how to walk in their newly acquired limbs.
He said the CBR may take a few days and some weeks before the victims got used to walking with the crutches.
“For some victims such as the young, it may take a day or two to get used to their newly acquired legs, while the aged may take several days or even weeks,” he said.
Mr Zyambo said the process of limb replacement is not easy as it involves patient assessment, then prescription of appropriate limbs for a particular patient, before the actual limb fitment is done.
He said the biggest challenge Zambia is facing the shortage of orthotics and Prosthetics technicians due to lack of a fully fledged training centre of orthotics technicians.
“Currently there are only 11 orthotics technicians in Zambia, against a population of 13 million. The nearest training facility is in Tanzania and that is why the Government should ensure that the practice is introduced in Zambia,” he said.
More organisations should emulate the Zambia Foundation for Landmine Survivors in assisting victims of various forms of disabilities.
The Government and the private sector should also consider investing in the establishment of orthotics and Prosthetics training institutions to beef up the deficiencies in the numbers of qualified personnel in this field.
Grace and Edward are just among the many other victims out there who need interventions such as limb replacement therapy in order to be able to lead normal lives, and participate in activities that they would otherwise not engage in.
Original Source: 
Original date published: 23 July 2011
Source: http://allafrica.com/stories/201107250225.html?viewall=1