A 36-year-old unemployed mother from Omitara informal settlement has pleaded for a wheelchair for her 12-year-old boy, who was born with a disability.

Romanita Noarises said although her son was born with an unknown condition, he was operated on his lower back when he was small. To restrict his movement further, in 2016 his one leg was amputated under the knee. He is expected to undergo another amputation of his remaining leg.

“As you can see, Julius [Noariseb] does not walk and he goes to his friends crawling, which makes his condition worst as sometimes sustains injuries and his body gets swollen,” said Noarises. 

She told New Era Noariseb is active and energetic and he tries to go out on his own, something which Noarises said makes her happy because other disabled people do not have friends.

But the family lives in deplorable conditions and sometimes go to bed hungry. 

“We did not get a wheelchair from the hospital. He was given an old one by a white man in Windhoek when we were there for a follow-up. However, as of now, we are really suffering without that,” stressed Noarises. 

Noariseb now resides with his 56-year-old grandmother, Aline Noarises, who said much is needed particularly groceries, blankets and clothes. 

“He gets a disability grant, but the condition at home is such that no one is employed, his mother does not have any source of income and they all depend on his grant which is obviously not enough for a family of this size,” said Sandra Gawases , a neighbour to his grandmother. 

Noariseb communicates by gestures and sounds but cannot speak in coherent sentences. The family said this may be because of nerve damage he suffered during an operation. They help him when nature calls. 

Gawases who was present when New Era paid courtesy to Noariseb revealed that his condition makes her emotional when he crawls in the hot sand or when he comes back with bleeding due to injuries whilst he was crawling.

“I sometimes pick him up from other houses when it’s late and his friends have walked far away from him, and the only way we help him is to buy him nappies when we go to Windhoek. We do this not because we have but to help the family as we experience the condition when nappies are finished,” explained Gawases.