For close to two years, Doreen Ataro lived with a bent leg painted with burn bruises from a fire accident.
At only one and a half years of age, the young girl fell in a pool of fire where she was playing and sustained injuries to her left leg.
As the father Denis Oroto narrates, Ataro’s accident caused his daughter so much pain.
“Her left leg was burnt by the fire causing it to curve to a certain extent. She couldn’t move or shower herself. The mother had to feed and shower her,” he recounts.
But it was not only the physical turmoil that foiled the family. Ataro’s accident also took a toll on the father’s finances.
Oroto has spent nearly Ushs500,000 in an effort to treat the daughter and have her leg restored to normal.
However, his effort was all in vain as the health centres in Kaberamaido were unable to treat Ataro despite multiple trials.
It was not until Pius Ekiro, a community mobiliser in the town, notified Oroto of a hospital in Entebbe that could treat his daughter and the transport was catered for.
“Pius Ekiro told me about Corsu and told me they were also providing transport to and from the hospital in Entebbe,” he says.
On arrival, the young girl was given medical care at no cost.
Around the same time at the same hospital in Entebbe was a young Vivian Achola wrapped in the arms of her uncle, 26 year old Alex Owume.
Unlike Ataro, Achola could walk albeit with a limitation. Achola had had rickets for all her life.
The young orphaned girl who spent the majority of the time living with her grandfather was at the hospital to correct the disability.
Her surgery was also to be done for free.
Doreen Ataro and Vivian Achola were one of the lucky beneficiaries under the MTN Uganda partnership with Corsu rehabilitation hospital.
During the one year partnership, MTN Uganda sponsored corrective surgery for over 80 children and youth worth about Ushs 184million.
Wim Vanhelleputte, the MTN Uganda chief executive officer says “MTN prides itself in improving the lives of Ugandans. Children and youth are the bedrock of society since they not only bring joy to our lives but also make up a big fraction of the productive economy.”
According to Oroto, his daughter now walks, runs and even plays.
“Before bringing her to Corsu hospital, she couldn’t walk. But now, Ataro can run and play. In fact, now the mother doesn’t need to take care of her like before,” he testifies.
Denis Oroto who practices agriculture to make ends meet says that the wife, Sarah Aponye can now help him at the farm since she is no longer preoccupied with taking care of their daughter.
“Now the mother comes to dig and help me at the farm because Ataro stays playing with her friends,” he says.
Meanwhile, Achola’s uncle,Owume, a resident of Aduku Town in Kwania district has now shifted concern from his ten year old niece’s health to her education as the former is now a problem of the past.
“She is now walking very well. She is now okay and we want her to start school so we are searching for funds to take her to school,” he notes.
He appreciated MTN for its effort in ensuring his niece’s life was back to normal.
Established in 2009, CoRSU is a private, non-profit, non-governmental organization in Uganda mandated to mitigate disability and provide rehabilitative services.