On the Outskirts of Zomba, Malawi … Emails of concern flowed in after the story of young Fredson’s unsuccessful appeal for a wheelchair in late 2011. He had crawled to the warehouse at Thondwe but found it empty of chairs. In the subsequent story Wilson Tembo expressed deep concern with having to turn down his request, and watch this poor boy crawl away in the dirt.
But even as Fredson was leaving arrangements were being made for another shipment of wheelchairs. It would bring the total number to 3,400 wheelchairs shipped to Malawi in recent years through the cooperation of the Malawi Project and the Free Wheelchair Mission. But now, it was Fredson who had put a face, body and feet to the need for more wheelchairs.
Late in 2012, the anticipated shipment arrived, and Wilson went looking for young Fredson. He found him at his home near Zomba, the former colonial capital of Malawi. Although the family had taken Fredson to the Beit cure Hospital in Blantyre to find a cure, they had received a questionable diagnosis, and this caused them to decide against surgery. Tembo notes in his reports, “Fredson was facing a future of crawling in the dust, and little chance of continuing his education. Then the wheelchair arrived, and brought hope for Fredson.”
When Wilson arrived with the new wheelchair he learned the need for mobility is not the only challenge Fredson is facing. He found a whole set of problems, and they were not caused by Fredson, nor did they originate with his zeal to gain an education.
Wilson continues, “When I reached the home I discovered the family living in a small mud hut with a grass thatched roof, and they were trying to survive on part time projects (piece work). They were earning less than a dollar a day. The parents had moved from Machinga to Zomba to find work, but with their unsuccessful efforts to find help for Fredson the father had embarked on a small fishing business. However, as the hospital costs grew, along with the high cost of transportation back and forth to the hospital, it required that Finly (Fredson’s father), use the money from the business to pay the bills. The lack of funds marked the end of their fledgling business.” 
“Yet another major problem they are facing is the location of their home,” adds Tembo. “It is located on a hill, with big rocks all around. Each day Fredson must move around the rocks, often bruising his knees. His mother reports it is the only location they can afford. It was easy for me to see Fredson has many more challenges in life than just mobility. He needs better accommodations, food, and clothing. During my visit, we were able to give them clothes, writing materials and beddings for Fredson, along with his new wheelchair.”