John’s Story

In a country where many children with disabilities are left to the wayside, a young boy with Cerebral Palsy (CP) named John resides. More specifically John resides in Mukono, Uganda where he was abandoned by his mother at a young age due to his special needs. CP is a condition that occurs at birth due to lack of oxygen to the brain, oftentimes occurring during intense labor. Occurrences of malnutrition can be higher in children with CP and eventually can result in death if there is not proper nutrition and education. 

In 2019, John was identified by a Goshen’s Village Health Team (VHT) to be acutely malnourished. Although John was being lovingly cared for by his grandmother who assumed care of him at a young age, unfortunately she did not have the education and resources she needed to provide proper care for him. When John came to Goshen’s he was found to be severely malnourished, lethargic, and teary eyed and his grandmother had very little hope for their future.  From this day forward they were invited into Goshen’s caring arms to be loved and empowered. Over the course of just 8 weeks, John’s nutritional status was significantly improved after being provided with Goshen's nutritious porridge.  John’s grandmother also received education on gardening techniques so that she could help provide nutritious foods and generate income for the family. During home visits, Goshen’s also educated the family on sanitation and hygiene that helped promote their health and well-being. Goshens was able to intervene at a critical time in John’s life but has also been able to educate and empower the entire family with ongoing home visits and community education opportunities. John’s story is a good representation of how access to Goshen’s resources can take a desperate situation and through providing a combination of nutritious foods, education, and economic empowerment can create a self-sustaining life filled with hope and the love of God.