Collines’ sister, Rita, teaches the children a song of hope.
A small child is sleeping on a bed in the classroom. Fiona is about the size of a 4-year-old, but in reality she is 14. She suffers from Nodding Syndrome, a neurological disorder that has become widespread in parts of northern Uganda. The affected children experience epileptic seizures, and many are injured from falling into open fires. Because Fiona’s parents have to work all day in the field in order to feed their family, they were forced to leave her alone at home. The staff at the center were worried that she might die if left unattended, so now they pick her up and bring her to the center for treatment and care.
“At least she is with her friends,” Angwech Collines says that since coming to the center, Fiona has started gaining weight.
Collines, Director of Operations for Hope for Humans in Uganda, is a university student in Invisible Children Uganda’s Legacy Scholarship Program, studying development. She says there are an estimated 300 children in the area where the center operates who suffer from the syndrome, and 40 of them come to the center six days a week to get medical treatment, nutritional supplements, and special education. Hope for Humans provides medication to parents of additional children as well, to be administered at home.
Collines poses by the artwork of the 40 children served at the Hope for Humans nodding syndrome center in northern Uganda
Collines can hardly contain herself when describing the progress she’s seen in the children once they begin interacting with staff and other children at the center. She remembers that there was a girl named Jenny who never spoke. Then, after being gone for a few weeks, Collines arrived at the center and Jenny ran up to greet her.
“I freaked out!” says Collines. “When I see them improving it makes my heart…” she shakes her head, it’s too good. She points out Jenny, sitting at the front of the class. She has a round, bright face, and she doesn’t stop smiling.
Rita, Collines’ sister, has been helping out with classes. They just finished watching The Lion King and talking about what they learned. Now she is teaching them a song, reading it line by line from the chalkboard while the children sing after her: “I wanna try to touch a few hearts in this world, leave nothing less, something that says I was here.”
The Hope for Humans Nodding Syndrome Center in Odek provides care for 40 children six days a week.
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