Bible Society of Zimbabwe, visited the mountainous eastern highlands where they met Prisca Maneswa, (11) was born in 2010 and at four months, it was discovered that she had hydrocephalus and she was then referred to Mutare Provincial hospital for treatment.
She attended school normally and graduated from early childhood education. Prisca’s mother is a 30-year-old peasant who survives on buying and selling, her income is so little that she could not afford the money that was needed for the operation for her to be inserted a shunt (ventriculoperitoneal). After a year and some months she underwent another operation for another shunt but had continuous severe headaches. In 2018, she got serious headaches and a Doctor referred her to Karanda hospital. When the grandmother was about to bath Prisca, she just got powerless and they went to Karanda Hospital where she was unconscious and on oxygen for two weeks. Prisca’s grandmother is 50 years old and seeing the condition of Prisca, she saw it fit to live with the child so that the mother concentrate on her marriage and day to day chores. When doing her house work, the grandmother usually leaves Prisca in her room covered by a mosquito net, she cannot take her outside the room because there will be flies and other insects of which Prisca is not able to move her hands and legs.
Further assessments were done and that is when it was discovered that Prisca’s spinal cord was no longer functioning (total paralysis), her father deserted the family as a way of running away from responsibility and cultural influences. Prisca cannot move and eat unaided. She got an ordinary wheelchair from the Church but it is not compatible considering her condition. Our technician assessed her and advised that they have to customize a trolley-like bed because Prisca does not sit and needs fulltime help and attention. Her mother got married to another man who is not Prisca’s father and the grandmother took full responsibility of Prisca at her house in Hauna. For food, the grandmother said Prisca survives on liquids like traditional drink (maheu) and mashed potatoes so getting a blender would make life easier in feeding Prisca. Shedding tears, “I get strength when I read Mathew 11:28…….come unto me all who are burdened and I will give you rest.” She also uploaded the worlds that BSZ is doing to aliviet the lives of children who are differently disabled with assistive devices and most importantly the word of God.
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