From joy to concern
Shivam's parents remember the immense joy they felt the day their first son was born, bringing hope to this farming couple living in extreme poverty. But by the time he was one and a half, Shivam's health was causing them great concern. They could see he had a problem with his back, but didn't know what it was.
Then, one day, Shivam fell ill, developing a very high fever. When it subsided, his parents tried to get him to stand – to no avail. Shivam could only lie down or sit.
His parents took him to hospital, where he underwent several months of treatment. They were forced to take out a loan to cover the costs. The diagnosis wasn’t confirmed, but it’s possible that Shivam had contracted poliomyelitis.
Meeting five years ago
In 2019, teams from RRPK (Rastriya Rojgar Prawardhan Kendra), HI's local partner in Madesh province, met the little boy for the first time as part of the SIKAI inclusive education project set up in several rural districts, including the district in which his family lives.
Thanks to the inclusive education training organised by HI and the awareness raising provided to local teachers to help them identify certain functional limitations. Shivam was assessed along with 206 children other from the town.
Following a diagnosis of his condition conducted as part of the inclusive education project, HI physical therapists provided him with a standing frame, orthoses and orthopaedic shoes. Shivam's parents were also given information and guidance to help him work on his movements.
The Sikai project works closely with other players in the community, in particular organisations that provide financial support to families of children with disabilities in the hope that more financial stability will enable them to support their child's development. Shivam's family has been given two goats for breeding so they can sell animals at the market and earn a living.
A standing frame and an itinerant teacher
Today, Shivam is able to sit up on his own and do many other activities, such as eating or reading, once he is seated. Thanks to his standing frame, which is a kind of fixed walker, Shivam can also stand independently and move around his home using it as a support.
His mother, Rinky Devi, accompanies him in all his daily activities. The two are very close. Before she met HI's partner, she used to carry him to school. It was an exhausting and hazardous half-hour journey: they had to cross a river because there was no bridge between the two banks. To overcome this difficulty, an itinerant teacher working on the inclusive education project has begun making visits to Shivam's home to help him with his lessons.
Shivam loves reading and watching cartoons on his mother’s phone.
When asked about her dearest wish, Shivam's mother replied: "I hope with all my heart that one day he'll be able to walk alone!"
