Lome, Togo — A child born with a disability in Togo is often considered cursed; his plight symptomatic of sorcery or demonic possession. Children with disabilities are frequently humiliated, ostracized and even physically attacked, triggering a vicious cycle in which the disabled child's family in an impoverished community has even fewer opportunities to earn a living.
According to UNICEF, children living with disabilities are among the most isolated among all groups of children in Africa, representing five to ten percent of all children on the continent. Many of these children's disabilities are the result of birth complications, diseases and poor overall health.
Compassion's Child Survival Program helps prevent birth complications by providing at-risk pregnant women with nutritional support and prenatal care, along with ongoing health care for both mother and baby.
For children who are born with disabilities, Compassion's Complementary Interventions Program can provide help with surgery, prosthetic limbs, wheelchairs and trauma counseling.