Yamikani Village, (Lilongwe) Malawi … Siwa Mlomo never expected this day to come, yet here he was, sitting on a stoop beside the grass hut that he and his family call home. Wilson Tembo and Griven Kasalika had arrived at his village and his nephew had guided them to his house. Griven took the time to sit down and listen to the old man’s story unfold.
Siwa was born in 1966 in the very village where he now lives. He grew up, married his wife, and fathered four children. Life was as good as it could be in a village in one of the poorest nations on earth. However, everything changed in 2008 when he arose one morning, only to fall as he tried to move about. He visited several hospitals, but nothing helped, and no one could determine how to help him. The eventual conclusion was he had suffered a stroke. He would never walk again. From then on, he spent many days alone in their tiny grass hut. His wife, Mulitani, went about selling firewood to try to help to feed the family. Then, after all hope was gone, they heard about Action for Progress, and the mobility units they were offering. They submitted a request.
His wife related what followed their request. “We thought this was just a dream. In fact, we thought it was perhaps a lie. We watched the road to see if anyone was coming. A day passed, then another. We felt we were unlucky. Then came that blessed Friday and we found to our amazement a beautiful mobility unit heading toward our compound.”
Griven listened as Siwa told how they have now started a new business (tea selling), as well as the wood selling business, and how he can now peddle the unit to the grocery to make purchases, as well as being able to go to church services that he had missed for two years because of his condition.
“We don’t take this for granted,” Mulitani concluded. “I see a significant change in my husband’s health. He is more relaxed and stable as compared with recent years.”
Griven left feeling good about the work he and Wilson Tembo are doing through Action for Progress, with support from the Malawi Project and Mobility Ministries. Because of this joint effort they are able to help those in Malawi who need this assistance in order to help themselves.
Dreams like this one cannot be fulfilled without support from those who see the need and the opportunity to change a person’s life in a really magnificent way. You can make things happen by programming your support at: www.malawiproject.org/donate