“A bright future ahead for my son”

From United Mission to Nepal 2018 Project Report:

Thirteen years old Padam Bahadur Bhandari from Sunsari happily goes to school now. But the case wasn’t the same earlier. When until he turned eight months, he was still unable to crawl and sit on his own, his family suspected of a problem. He was taken to the local hospitals nearby, but they were couldn’t get answers. As time passed by, he was still unable to sit and walk. His parents were sad to see his condition and took him to India for treatment but with no success. They were losing hope as despite spending money, they couldn’t spot any change. They even started to think that he would not be well in his lifetime and it could be due to previous sins.
Most hospitals were unable to find the cause of his condition. When the Hospital and Rehabilitation Center for Disabled Children (HRDC) Banepa organised a camp at Itahari, he was taken there as the last option. It was found that Padam has a problem in his brain by birth due to an unknown cause which further caused problems on his muscles and movement. The doctor suggested him to do regular exercises for his physical improvement. It would take time, but his physical condition would improve.
One day UMN’s partner Nepal Chelebeti Disabled Women Society (NCDWS) conducted an orientation on the disability identification and management in the village. Padam’s father got a chance to attend and learn that this organisation also works with people with disabilities in the village. He informed the project supervisor Namrata Pokhrel of NCDWS about his sons’ problem. Namrata visited his house and Padam and taught some of the exercises. She asked them to make some supporting devices using local resources for standing and walking.
The family members continued the exercises taught by the therapist of HRDC as well as Namrata. Gradually his physical conditions improved. After a year and half of continuous exercises, Padam can now walk around his house, kitchen and room with the help of a stick. Due to his condition, he was unable to go to school. So NCDWS planned to provide him with the Personal Energy Transportation (PET) Cart which is supported by UMN. After his physical assessment, he was eligible to receive the Pet Cart.
Now Padam goes to school regularly by using the PET Cart which he enjoys using and studies in grade 1. His family members are happy to see him roam around his community and go to school. He has scholarship support of UMN. His mother also received income generation support. Padam’s father suggests other parents who face similar condition to do regular exercise and giving hope that they will be able to do their activities by themselves. He shared that there was no point to be depressed about the condition as there’s a solution to every problem just that some are solved soon and some take time.
He has hopes to make his son a doctor in the near future and is very happy to see that he has started to go to school. He shares, “My son got a new as well as bright life. I am very much thankful to UMN as well as NCDWS for the support and care for my child.”