Helping hand for those with Disabilities in kenya during the covid-19 pandemic and holy month of Ramadhan.

HALIMA SHARIFF: A WOMAN WHO IS IN DIRE NEED

What does not kill you makes you stronger. Halima Shariff is a perfect example of this saying. Today being International Women’s day, let’s dig in to her life story. When you come across her, you will not notice that she has multiple disabilities, unless she is standing, holding on to her crutches. You won’t notice any other disability unless you interact with her.

She was born a normal child but at the age of seven years old, Polio struck her, affecting her right leg and she could not walk normally again. Being born and brought up in the arid areas of Kenya only added to her woes. She struggled to walk to and from school despite the long distance in the remote arid area in the dry and hot climate. Being differently-able among able-bodied people is not a joke. Since Halima only attended normal schools throughout her school years, the teachers did not understand her problems or difficulties. But still she emerged victorious and she went to college .

Other Disabilities

After school she got a good job at the United Nations and got married. From the marriage she had two children and since her entire family are poor she had to provide for them in all means e.g for education and all other needs. One would think that multitasking her job and family duties along with her disability was already too much for her, but she was and is a super woman as she tried to manage and get by. Her husband was abusive and he used to beat her up repetitively. He took her kindness for weakness. She was the sole bread winner, with seven (7) mouths to feed, school fees and other bills to pay.

Being a woman who believes in family, she tolerated it all as a faithful wife, a dedicated employee and a good mother. The worst was yet to come for her. She had an accident which broke her hip bone joint and as a result she also lost her hearing too. Due to the accident her legs are now permanently affected and she suffers with partial paralysis (paraplegia specifically), muscle spasm and numbing. Doctors replaced her hip joint plates and she has three (3) screws in her legs now. She uses crutches and hearing aids on both her ears. She also experiences blackouts and faints due to a terrible pain around the neck and nerves on her head.

Life over Marriage

Her husband’s heart did not sympathize with her situation. Halima, fearing for her life, decided to walk out of her marriage, she made this choice not only to save her dear life but to also give her kids a chance to a better life. Following this ordeal she also lost her contract with her employer, so she became unemployed.

At the moment Halima lives with her parents and children her parents are old and sick, she has no job and she has to maintain her multiple disabilities. The hearing aids she requires are very expensive for her to maintain. The are times when she does not leave the house due to the fear of being knocked down by motorcycles or vehicles. Especially in instances when the hearing aids run out of batteries and services this leaves her immobile and stranded. Rainy days also prove to make her life miserable as her legs become weak and movement becomes difficult and painfully hard. She also fears fainting when she is out by herself, hence she always requires being accompanied by her children.

As embarrassing as begging can be, she has no choice but to do so to seek help to provide a living for her family. She has exhausted all of her options. But despite all of whats happening in her personal life, she gets up every day just to fight for the rights of other people with disabilities in her community. Despite this she still requires help to get by, to continue helping others.

If there is any way you can help, please get in touch through the following :

Email: mimo.shariff @gmail.com

Mobile number : +254721669367.

Inshallah may Allah make it easy for all of us and jazakallah khair to all who will be touched and help me and my family. During this Holy month of Ramadhan and the current global pandemic of corona virus, the lock down situation is very stressful as currently because we depend on hand to mouth donations as a form of daily rizk (sustenance). Hence during this tough time and crisis we are barely given anything to survive with. May Allah protect us and grant good health and we pray inshallah for help in these struggling times. Thank you.

How the funds will help ?

1) It will provide Halima the means to provide for herself and her family during the COVID-19 crisis.

2) Halima will be able to pay any medical bills and would be capable to finance any medical equipment such as hearing aids and crutches that she would require to function normally on a daily basis.

3) She would be able to pay for school for her kids and the other kids she takes care of.

4) Any extra funding can be used to set up a fund for any disabled people in the community that require help.