NGO Gives Hope, Happiness To Spinal Cord Injury Patients In Enugu

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – A non- governmental Organization, operating under the name, “Rebuilding Hope on Wheels Initiative”(RHOWI) founded by Hajia Amina Audu, to improve the lives of people with disabilities, particularly those with spinal cord Inujuries and Dysfunction (SCI/D) has started visiting hospitals in the south East as a way of encouraging people with such health challenge.

The group that visited Orthopedic Hospital Enugu yesterday with a lot of gift items for the spinal cord injuries patients in the hospital ward, explained that their message was that “having spinal cord injuries does not mean the end of such persons life”.

Speaking to newsmen after visiting patients in their ward at HRH Eze Godwin Ahanonu Spinal Injury Care Complex in Orthopedic Hospital Enugu, the south East Coordinator of RHOWI Ejikeme Fineglo said the organization is promoting social inclusion and removing barriers for people in wheelchair to participate in social and occupational activities like any other citizen

He said: “RHOWI has engaged relevant stakeholders since it’s inception to change the directional way of treating people with spinal cord injuries and Dysfunction to specific rehabilitation that teaches people with the injury on how to live life after spinal cord injuries”

“We want to give hope and prepare the survivors and their families for the not too pleasant journey of spinal cord injury which most of our peer supporters have lived through and forged ahead with their lives despite the trauma posed by the injury”

According to him, coming to the hospital was among other things to give those spinal cord injuries people orientation, ” our primary aim is to make them understand that they are some people who have been in the stage they are now and today living their life. We want to assure them that they can still be useful to themselves and the society at large .

“you don’t need to kill your self or take your life” Narrating what happened to him, he Said he was asulted by a group of people when he was living in the north for a little misunderstanding which turned into a flight , unfortunately they hit his head on the ground and that compressed his spine from the back , affecting his grip and since then he continue to manage life like that since 2006 till now.

He told the people that spinal cord injuries treatment is a continues thing, because the nerves are always hot once it is injured .

Ejikeme, advised spinal cord injuries to belong to a group that would be reminding them of what to do at a particular point in time, like physiotherapy, so the tme,reatment continues’ they are various degrees of injuries that could be discussed together as a group and solutions are preferred

Earning a living, “that is what we are saying that one should not kill himself this other Friend of mine is a music producer and my self I do some businesses online.

“Our women are traders of various goods, and our aim is to give hope to spinal cord injury person’s. We are not totally invalid we do a lot of things to support our selves” he stated.