Angela's story
The Heart of Mercy project in Malawi works with disabled children and their parents and caregivers. It visits families regularly, provides essential items and medical advice, and organises meetings so that caregivers can get together and support each other.
Angela is the youngest of her mother Betty Sumani's five children. Just a few days after Angela was born, Betty noticed that she faced difficulties. Doctors told Betty that Angela's growth would be slow and that she would experience developmental delays. They predicted that by the time she reached ten years old, she would behave like a five-year-old.
Betty takes care of Angela to the best of her ability, but it is challenging to meet most of her needs.
The Heart of Mercy plays a crucial role in supporting children and their parents and caregivers, like Angela and Betty. These families battle abject poverty in a hostile social environment. Sadly there is a lot of prejudice in rural Malawi. Disability is poorly understood and disabled children are often rejected by their communities, which leaves their families feeling isolated and ignored. The Heart of Mercy team holds regular meetings for parents and guardians to get together, support each other, and realise they are not alone.
Betty is glad to be part of the Heart of Mercy. She and her family were given goats, as well as essential items such as mattresses, blankets, clothes, shoes and winter coats.
Accomplish Children's Trust provides regular grants to the Heart of Mercy project so they can continue supporting families with regular visits and basic medical care, for instance teaching mobility exercises to children and their guardians.