A single mother of three children with disabilities had lost hope. Now the children are receiving rehabilitation at a Mission East-supported rehabilitation center. The children are doing better, and the authorities are praising the center’s efforts.

Gulakuror is 34 years old and a single mother of four children, three of whom have disabilities. The family lives in a remote village in Tajikistan’s Qubodiyon District in the Khatlon Region.

Three out of four children with disabilities

Gulakuror’s three youngest children were born with brain damage, and at six months old, all three were diagnosed with spastic paralysis (cerebral palsy). Twelve-year-old Belsaz is the oldest of the three; his two younger brothers are ten and eight years old.

Gulakuror is the sole provider for the children, and it is not easy. Her husband died shortly after their last child was born.

She says with a deep sigh:

– When the baby was born, my husband became deeply depressed. He had no idea what to do because three children had been born with disabilities, and it was difficult to take care of the family.

Struggled to support the children

When her husband passed away, Gulakuror was left alone:

“I was shocked and didn’t know how to take care of my family. But patience and time brought me back to life, and right now I’m taking care of my children as a single parent.

All her energy went into providing food for the children. Rehabilitation and physical therapy were out of the question.

Time passed, the children grew up, but their condition only worsened. None of the three children were able to walk, speak, or eat on their own. Only Belsaz tried to eat by himself. He crawled around on the floor, trying to stand up, but had difficulty doing so without support.

Now Belsaz can walk on his own

Children with disabilities in Gulakuror now receive medical care and rehabilitation at the Mission East-supported rehabilitation center in the Qubodiyon district. The center assists a total of 200 children and is run by the local organization Mehrgon.

Belsaz started out with a walker but eventually learned to walk on his own. He and the other children also learned to use special toilet chairs. The necessary equipment was provided to the family by Mission East. A team from the center makes regular home visits and teaches Gulakuror how to continue the rehabilitation by giving the children specific exercises.

In just a few months, Belsaz has improved significantly, and his mother is happy:

“You should always believe that things will turn out well, even if there is only a little hope,” she says.

Belsaz receives rehabilitation at the center three times a week. And Gulakuror receives support and encouragement in a support group for parents of children with disabilities.

The effort is spreading

The European Union Delegation in Tajikistan praises Mission East and the center’s efforts:

– What the children and parents learn at this center is not limited to just the center and their homes, but extends into the local community. Parents should not be afraid of anything, but should have free access to their rights, said David Casale, political advisor to the EU Delegation, at the center’s inauguration in September 2022.

Authorities in the Qubodiyon district add:

– The rehabilitation center plays a vital role in the development of public health services for the benefit of the most vulnerable. We are very pleased that Mission East is giving special attention to treating and including children with disabilities and their families, said Social Affairs Director Khalifaev Sadullo on the same occasion.