Jan 8, 2022
By: Bárbara Bravo

Between four walls

Neema is 17 years old and lives with her family in Same (Tanzania). He has cerebral palsy, he does not speak, but he has mobility in his hands although not in his legs. One day being in Same we went to visit her, well for me it was our first meeting, and I was quite shocked. How is your day to day? Sitting or lying inside the house without getting a ray of light. Her father rejected her from the beginning and the mother at least seems to “try” something but in her own way.

Of course, the answer to the question of whether I was going to school had a clear answer: no. Why? Because the school is far away, 1.5 kilometers, and we can’t afford the gas to take her. They live in a rather poor house and have 3 siblings, one studies abroad, but they don’t lack anything so I’m sure it’s an expense that they could take care of but the case is wanting to do it…

It is true that he does not speak but he could write and socialize with other children would be good for him. Can you imagine being locked in a house for 17 years? That’s not life…

The next part that struck me the most was when I asked how they did to go to the bathroom, because it was outside the house and far away. My face said it all when the mother took out a chair with a midget hole and measures for a 5-year-old… please, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. And to the question why haven’t you bought a bigger one, what was coming to me: we have no money. Sorry I’m saying the same thing again, priorities.

We went to all this to visit them because there is a Tanzanian association, located near Same, which helps people with reduced mobility with wheelchairs. They are amazing, besides being lovely they do a 10 job. Although in the case of Neema I hope they really use it and it will be their escape route to get out of those four mud walls.

What future awaits you if you are always at home? What will happen when your mother is gone?

Whenever I see these cases I ask myself this, but what I say we cannot decide for others although again, from my point of view, they are taking the wrong path. Even if I don’t understand it, I respect everyone’s decisions, I would have to see myself in a similar situation to see what I would do.

Whenever I see cases like this I am aware that they occur in many parts of the world, unfortunately, but I focus on where I am and what I see. I emphasize it because I know that you can think… because it happens here too…

Between four walls

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