One child's chance to grow up healthy
Throughout our work, Plan aims to encourage long-term, sustainable development. We do this by working with communities to bring about changes to improve the lives of the children. We recognise that improvements in health are dependent on changing health-related attitudes and behaviour. Children have often played a significant role in bringing about such change.
Occasionally, however, the life of a child is in immediate danger. Where medical bills are simply too great, Plan can use emergency funds to give a child a chance. One such child was Marwan, a little boy from rural Sudan. Here, he tells his own story:
| “One day, in mid-summer last year, I came home to my very peaceful village, after a long day at school. It is one of the White Nile State villages in central Sudan. I live here with my family – there are six of us altogether. My father is a farmer.
The next day I woke up very late. I felt that something was wrong – I had hard pains inside my small chest and my heart was beating very fast. All the same, I dragged myself out of bed and went to school. I didn’t want to be late." |
Marwan heading out for school as usual.
"At school, I started my day as usual, playing and running with my friends even though I felt very tired. Suddenly, I felt that my body had no power to carry on."
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Marwan sick in bed with his family
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"I went to the clinic, where the doctor recommended that I was transferred to the local Hospital for tests. I was shocked when I was told that I had developed a heart disease and that I had to go to Khartoum for urgent surgery." |
| "This was bad news for my family and the whole village said it was the worst experience they had ever been through." |
The villagers share in the family's grief
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"Donations from my people in the area started flowing in to my father, who could not afford the surgery. Even so, there was not enough money to pay for the operation and, remembering that I was a sponsored child, the people of my village rushed to the Plan offices to tell them."
"Plan’s response was very prompt, human and practical: they generously agreed to make up the amount needed."
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| "Later, my kind people and I drove to Khartoum. It was the first time that I had crossed the amazing White Nile. 'Why do you wait for it to rain, while we have the greater Nile?' I asked my father. He couldn’t answer me because I could see from his face that he was thinking about my operation." |
Travelling to Khartoum for treatment
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| "It was very hot when we arrived at Khartoum. The crowds, cars, hawkers and high buildings were very different to my humble village. We met the specialist in the national hospital and comprehensive medical tests were done. After that, the time for the operation was decided." |
The operation
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Marwan healthy, celebrating with local friends |
Despite the high risk of the operation, I was not afraid because Plan staff were there and remained close. I felt their moral support throughout the day of the operation. After a while, I opened my eyes to find people celebrating all around me, their voices and faces full of happiness. I realised at once that the operation had been a success." |
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