A New Whisper Child: Rukia

Whisper welcomes Rukia.   View this email in your browser Meet Rukia Read more about our current activities Visit our website Buy the best Christmas present for Ugandan orphans. Buy a present from £1.50 Help Whisper to get self-sustainable. We now have 32 chickens. Our aim is 50.  Buy a chicken @£3.50 Please donate to help Rukia.  Donate Follow our work: Facebook Twitter Website Share this email: Share Tweet Forward Please donate to help Rukia.  Donate A New Whisper Child: Rukia’s Story During our outreach work in the rural villages, we were informed of a little girl in a bad way. We instantly agreed to meet her. On our arrival, sitting outside a crumbling house, wearing just an old and torn t-shirt was Rukia. Her sad face and look in her eyes just talked of devastation, fear, and misery. Our hearts just sank for the moment to see this little baby being so neglected in all type of ways. Three years old, but no bigger than a baby of one year; she was sick with malnourishment. Her ribs protruding from her torso, her twig-like arms and legs looked as if they could snap with a touch. Her hands and feet were smothered with jiggers eating away at her flesh. On top of all this, she also had an open wound on her stomach which was attracting flies.   Rukia's hand full of jigger worms. Sam, our outreach worker, began by attempting to remove the jiggers. Unfortunately, due to a lack total care, her skin had become so tough and dry it was impossible to rid the parasites using the normal procedure. So we had to wait until Rukia is taken care of well at the hospital.    Rukia lived with her uncle and her auntie.  Her uncle reluctantly agreed to accompany Rukia to hospital with us.  We provided the auntie with bathing soap so Rukia could have a much needed wash and then we dressed Rukia in some new, comfortable clothes. We then left with Rukia’s uncle and transported them straight to the children’s hospital in Jinja. We were also informed that Rukia stopped walking for no reason some two years back, which could also be a reason of her neglect. After being examined by the doctor, she was admitted the nutritional ward. We provided Rukia and her father with bedsheets, blankets, cups, flask and all the necessary items. To our devastation, after only spending one night in the hospital with Rukia, we got terrible reports from the nurses on the father’s behaviour. He had been repeatedly rude to the staff, he neglected Rukia and to our horror had even been abusive; beating her for crying when being injected. The nurses were glad to be rid of him and he was more than happy to leave the following morning. Our caring mama Ziida has been in the ward looking after little Rukia for the past few days.   With some cuddles and affection from mama Ziida and volunteer Emilie, we have even managed to crack a smile!   Yesterday, Rukia was discharged from hospital and has come to reside with us in our Whisper Children’s Home. She is on a special nutritional plan but we are confident that with the love and care she deserves, Whisper will help her to become a happy, healthy little girl who not only can walk – but can run and dance around!