The aim of this medical aid project was to take in and care for people suffering from mental disorders.

While traveling through the communities around Eleme (Nigeria) to provide medical assistance to those in need, the Daughters of Charity came across a large number of people suffering from severe mental disorders, wandering the streets and/or exposed to inhumane treatment.

As part of the care provided to these people at the Rosalie rehabilitation centre, the aim of the “When will you be back?” project was to contribute to the funding of care and medication to help them.

Sister Bibiana explains:

“As soon as the funds were received in December, the order for medicines was placed by one of our Sisters working near a commercial town to keep costs down. At the same time, we were able to go to the “bush market” to buy non-perishable foodstuffs such as yams, beans, onions, dried peppers, etc. The visits and all the planned activities were a success.

The visits and all the planned activities continued to go ahead, and we were able to pay staff salaries.  We have even been able to hire a much-needed community health professional.

We have enough medicines, injections and food to last us another three months.

Without the help of the Rosalie Projects, we would have found it very difficult to get through the serious economic crisis currently affecting Nigeria, where transfers and over-the-counter withdrawals are a nightmare because of the redesigned Naira notes (which are in short supply)”.

Beneficiaries

“One of the beneficiaries of this project is a 34-year-old woman, Gbenekawa, from Ogoniland in Rivers State. During her final year at school, she became mentally ill and was cared for by her father until his death four years ago. She was then left at the mercy of her elder brother, who was the sole heir, but after a year he stopped giving her money for her medication. She began to default on her obligations, and then to relapse. Tracked down by the team, she took courses and even looked for a menial job in the town of Port Harcourt. Early last year, her employer discovered that she was suffering from a mental illness and fired her. She could no longer afford her medication. So we decided to treat her free of charge a few months ago so that she could resume her treatment.

Of all the other patients we have welcomed to our facility since December 2022, some have been able to benefit from a reduction of half the cost of medication, while others pay according to their means. A third category who are unable to pay (including 12 women currently in residence) have been provided with free food, clothing and accommodation.

With this project, which enables us to take in many women and girls living on the streets, self-sufficiency has always been a challenge. This is not without its problems, because with inflation, we are sometimes unable to buy the same products when we go back to the drug market to buy new ones”.

At the same time, we are trying out a fish-farming training project for these women to meet their nutritional needs and generate income.

It is with a deep sense of gratitude that I write on behalf of our mentally ill brothers and sisters. We are truly grateful for your support for our project and thank you for your generosity – God bless you”.

With them, Thanks to you

Source: https://www.projets-rosalie.com/