Personal health and hygiene are important topics for our children to learn and understand. Our Advocates not only support our children through their education and home lives but also teach them about how to take care of themselves. This is a recent report from Osbert, one of our Child Advocates.

Jean Claude is a young man who I advocate for. Recently he developed a rash, and out of curiosity about what was happening to him Jean Claude started to ask his neighbors about the bumps spreading on his body. His neighbors began to frighten him! They told him that this kind of disease kills people. Jean Claude called me in a panic letting me know how he was feeling about these bumps and described how they were spreading across his body.

After our conversation I decided to take him to the doctor. The doctor examined him and decided that the disease was shingles; he prescribed Jean Claude some medication to clear the skin rash. We also scheduled a follow-up visit with the doctor so that he could make sure the medication was working and that Jean Claude’s health was improving.

Jean Claude’s aunt struggled to feed him on a regular basis. Since proper nutrition is such an important part of getting well I arranged for the foundation to provide meals for him.

When we first visited the doctor Jean Claude was very sad and hopeless because he thought he was going to die; but I saw him yesterday and he told me that he feels well now.  The spots across his body are dried and now he has hope. I am really happy that we could help him. His aunt could not do anything for him, and he could have become worse if we hadn’t helped him.

This is just one of many cases where our advocates have stepped in to ensure the health and safety of the children in our program. They go above and beyond each day, doing everything they can to make sure that the children in their care not only receive an education, but feel loved and safe.

Osbert Victor, Child Advocate