Sinlayehu
Meet Sinlayehu, she lives with her mother brother and sister
and has a young son of a year. Her dad died of AIDS and her mum
has been responsible for raising the family. We went to visit
Sinlayehu to view her new house that was being built.
When we arrived it was obvious that Sinlayehu was unwell and
this was confirmed when she showed us the weeping glands under
her left armpit. We said that we would pay for her to go to the
local hospital but she wanted money to see the local doctor
which we refused, we didn’t feel that the shaking of a few
chicken bones would cure much. The next day we saw Sinlayehu
again and by this time she was limping as the infection had
travelled down her left side.
We said that we would take her to the hospital but she
refused still wanting money for the local doctor. At this stage
we were concerned not only for her well-being but that of her
son and if anything should happen to her, her mother would be
responsible for the boy. Time for cruel methods, we told her
that if she did not attend the hospital we would stop the
building of her house.
The next day we went to the hospital, not pleasant, but she
received good treatment and was diagnosed with having TB. We
paid for a course of drugs and because she needed a better diet
arrange for her to have half a litre of milk for the next 3
months. The total cost of this was 204 Bir, about £12. Her
house is now complete.
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