After giving birth in June 2016, Alice, now 31, was diagnosed with tuberculosis of the spine. She received treatment but lost feeling in both legs. In January 2017, she joined our Disabilities and Rehabilitation project and began therapy. Her aim was to walk again. Alice was provided with a wheelchair and an exercise plan but an observation in her notes in 2018 read, “At this stage Alice’s condition has improved but we don’t know if she’ll be able to walk again unaided.”

However, despite the concerns, Alice has learnt to do just that. With help from her mum, Alice went from being helped in and out of her wheelchair to self-transferring. Over time some feelings in her legs started to return so a standing and walking frame were introduced. She then started to walk short distances unaided and today she was proud to fetch water from the borehole for her family.

Alice is dedicated and determined. She still has daily exercises to do but having this independence makes her and her mother really happy.