Carers Worldwide received a grant of £4,699 from the COSARAF Foundation to support disabled children and their family carers living in Savar sub-district on the outskirts of Dhaka.  The grant was used to provide nutritious food and vital emergency medical and therapeutic support, as follows:

  • 70 disabled children attending their community caring centres were provided with nutritious food throughout the period of Ramadan. Many disabled children struggle with eating and with weight gain. The food supplied was high in nutritious content and the consistency was adapted where necessary to ensure it could be easily eaten and digested by each child according to their needs.
  • 258 people (243 carers and 15 disabled children) received eye screening and assessment via four specially arranged eye camps which took place across the project area and were easily accessible for the beneficiaries. The grant paid for the cost of holding the eye camps and the cost of the spectacles that were dispensed. A total of 242 carers and disabled children received spectacles for the first time
  • One wheelchair was supplied to each of the four community caring centres to assist with moving children around the centre, to use the toilet and access the outside area.
  • Two children requiring specialised wheelchairs were assessed and each child received their own wheelchair to use at home and around the community.
  • Six children underwent audiology assessments and each child was provided with a hearing aid.
  • Eight children with severe mobility difficulties and unable to walk underwent specialist assessment and were provided with orthotic aids to enable them to walk.
  • One woman with a physical disability was supported to undergo treatment for cancer.
'“Mum, I can hear!” Then it seemed that all the peace of the world came into my lap in a moment. The two of us can dream of the future now.'
Sahida

Sifat lives with his mother on the outskirts of Dhaka, Bangladesh. He has been deaf since birth but had not received any support. As a result, he was isolated from other teenagers and didn’t attend school. People made fun of him. This upset him and he would refuse to go out. His mother Sahida worried about his future – how he would get a job and who would care for him when she is no longer able to.

Through the generous support of the Cosaraf Foundation, Sifat had a full hearing assessment earlier this year and has now been given a hearing aid.  Sahida shares what happened the first time Sifat wore the hearing aid: ‘When the audiologist fitted the hearing aid into Sifat’s ear, he looked up at me silently for a while. I was very scared. I thought the hearing aid wasn’t going to help him after all. For a moment my heart stopped beating. But then he smiled and said “Mum, I can hear!” Then it seemed that all the peace of the world came into my lap in a moment. The two of us can dream of the future now.’

'We have been delighted to once again collaborate with the COSARAF Foundation and provide much needed and timely support to disabled children and their families. We found the process straightforward and efficient. This allowed us to distribute the funds to our partner organisation in Bangladesh without delay. Thank you for your belief in the importance of our work and we look forward to collaborating again in the future.'
Ruth Patil
Operations Manager