A beautiful story of compassion

Photo: Noku, for the first time, upright, confident and connecting with others!

One of the things I like most about our little Substack community is the wonderful and unexpected things that happen when you, my readers, act on your feelings of heartfelt compassion. Today’s story is about exactly this.

In May 2024 I wrote a piece about young Noah, a boy well known at the Chitungwiza Relief Day Care Centre for children with disability. The centre is run by ROKPA Support Network, a Buddhist charity in Zimbabwe that is one of the three supported by our paying subscribers.

Noah has cerebral palsy. Unable to sit, much less stand, Noah was isolated from the other children. Despite a love of music and watching ball games, most of his time was spent lying on a mattress. But the day he had access to a standing frame was truly life-changing.

Photo: Noah spent most of his life lying on a mattress

Photo: The standing frame instantly transformed Noah’s life

Reading this story really resonated with our readers Gary and Susan Zamis, who very generously offered to pay for an additional walking frame at the centre. I introduced them, by email, to Vivienne Kernohan, ROKPA’s director in Zimbabwe.

Gary explains what happened next:

I honestly can't say why your story last year about the children in the day care center caught our attention. Perhaps it was the joy we saw on the face of the young man using a standing frame and the idea that it could be possible to help more children have the same experience. The cost/benefit ratio seemed miniscule. Little did we know that the monetary cost was only a small part of the equation.

Being unaware of the many hurdles that stood in the way of our request to provide another standing frame for the use of the children, we were humbled by the entire process, our perspective being from a place where things like the standing frame could be delivered in a day or two from the likes of Amazon. The first hint of the difficulties that lay ahead for Vivienne (and the other dedicated people that worked to make this happen) was the challenge we had even transferring the funds to Zimbabwe. But in July we were able to navigate through those initial hoops and we felt we were on the home stretch and the frame would arrive in a week or two.

Vivienne gently tamed our expectations and explained how they first had to work with their bank to transfer the funds to the manufacturer in South Africa before the frame could even be built. Once completed we understood that the shipping to Zimbabwe should not be a problem. However, as stated so well by Robert Burns, "The best of plans of mice and men often go awry."

As Vivienne recently explained to us, "In addition to our struggle to get the actual payment to the South African supplier (many weeks of bureaucratic complication and miscommunication through our bank), we then had to try and get the frame into Zimbabwe. Normally, this wouldn’t take time, but the Zimbabwe government then introduced additional duty checks at the border and our initial carrier changed their route to avoid Zimbabwe.

Luckily, another carrier agreed to carry it for us without charge, but then forgot to collect it. The long queues due to the extra checks then held it up at the border for well over another two weeks, by which time it was Christmas and the centre was closed for the holidays!"

Photo: The long awaited standing frame sponsored by Gary and Susan Zamis

I can't express how delighted we were to hear that the standing frame finally arrived and to see the faces of the children using it for the first time. Susan was brought to tears as she watched the videos that Vivienne sent.

Photo: Georgina, our dedicated therapist, adjusting the frame for every child

Before the frame was delivered there were times that we wondered if we did the right thing. Would our wish to benefit the children be derailed somewhere along the convoluted route that was being navigated? Should we have just made a contribution to some established charitable organization like the Red Cross or Doctors without Borders?

While we have the utmost respect for those organizations and the beneficial work they do, we are so happy that, thanks to David (Michie), we heard about the day care centre. David put us in touch with Vivienne, who assured us that, even though the process was long and involved, she was confident that she and her hard working staff could see it through to a successful completion. And she emphasized how much the new standing frame would benefit the children and how that benefit far outweighed the difficulties in funding, purchasing and delivering the frame. We are thrilled that we were able to have what turned out to be such a small part in this worthwhile endeavor.

Tashi delek,

Gary and Susan Zamis

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Photo: Mavis, standing happily playing with blocks

A few words from Ellen at ROKPA, who was there the day the frame arrived:

“This long-awaited piece of equipment is set to change the lives of many of the children who come to the centre for care, therapy and play.

Georgina, our dedicated therapist, her eyes shining with pride, told me, “The frame helps the children stand tall and strong. It boosts their morale and opens doors to new experiences.”

One by one, the children took their turns being secured into the frame, while Georgina adjusted the straps and padding to ensure that each child was comfortable and well-supported. As she worked, she chatted with them, encouraging them to be active in the process and to follow instructions.

The first child to try was Mavis, a bright girl who has a love for blocks. Once secured, she smiled broadly as she reached out to play. With every block she stacked, her confidence improved and she was happy to be able to see everything going on around her.

Next was Noku (photo at the top of this article), a boy who has always struggled to grasp objects and engage with his peers. As Georgina adjusted the frame to a suitable height his face lit up with excitement. For the first time, he was able to play catch with his friends. Standing tall, he threw the ball with joy, his laughter ringing out as he connected with the others.

Designed with care and precision for children with various mobility-related disabilities, this particular standing frame is a well-made structure that ensures stability and allows upper body use. Equipped with secure straps, soft padding and rigid supports, each element of the frame can be tailored to meet the unique needs of its young users. This careful design means that every child is able to benefit from the joy of standing.

Video: Therapist Georgina demonstrates how the frame tilts into position

The arrival of the new frame transformed the centre into a hub of activity. Children read charts, played games and even participated in music and dance sessions. The frame does much more than just support their bodies; it opens new experiences, allowing them to engage with their surroundings and with each other.

Their caregivers are filled with gratitude and appreciate the physical benefits the standing frame offers — improved posture, better circulation, and enhanced respiratory function.

But what truly moved them was the psychological transformation they saw in their children. With each giggle and smile, the children’s self-esteem improved. They are now more confident, and capable of achieving things they had believed were out of reach.

The frame also fostered a sense of community as the children took turns using it, cheering each other on and celebrating their shared achievements. It is a tool for connection and forming bonds among the children. They learn to support one another, nurturing friendships that will last a lifetime. It shows that every child, however great their challenges, has the potential to stand tall and embrace the world around them.”

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Hi Everyone,

David again.

Being able to stand upright is something that almost all of us take entirely for granted. There is something heart-breaking about small children being condemned to live on the floor for want of simple equipment.

So, my sincere thanks to Gary and Susan Zamis for your compassion, generosity and patience!

And to each one of my paying subscribers who contribute to the work of ROKPA in Harare and their extraordinary work - every single day you are giving children the chance to experience the world vertically, like the rest of us. What price can be put on that?

I mention this every time I write about ROKPA, and it’s worth repeating for the sake of new subscribers: Zimbabwe has no social security. There is no such thing as free health care or Government services for people with disability. You are on your own. Mothers of disabled children are in an especially harsh environment - their husbands, finding the challenge all too much, often abandon them. With a 90%+ unemployment rate, most people eke out a living as informal traders or on rural properties trying to grow maize/corn. This is why I support ROKPA, one of the three not-for-profits to whom I give 50% of all subscriber funds. They do their very best to help those who would not otherwise be helped in ways beyond what we can fathom.

With your support we can keep helping the compassion-based work of ROKPA and hopefully even do more in the future. If you are currently a free subscriber, and are able to afford a US$7 a month subscription, please consider joining us.

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Viv tells me that there is a constant demand for wheelchairs at ROKPA. These cost US$240 each. If you would like to make the donation towards the cost of a chair, you can do so using the link below. Donors resident in USA, UK, Australia, New Zealand and the Netherlands receive a tax-deductible receipt from our partner, Global Development Group, once funds have cleared.

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