Saving Nazradeen by Penny Connley

I met a thirteen year old boy called Nazradeen eight weeks ago after his brothers had carried him into our therapeutic feeding centre. When I first saw him he was laying on the floor. His legs were tied together at the ankles, knees and thighs. The skin on the soles of his feet was hanging off, just like a pair of gloves, and he had huge wounds on his legs. Nazradeen’s lips were all cracked and bleeding, providing a real feast for the flies. He was so weak he couldn’t even lift his arms to deter them. He had tears rolling down his face. He looked like he didn’t care if tomorrow came. After hearing about the horrific loss of his mother that was understandable.  We carried him onto the scales. He weighed just 25kg but he was at least 165 cm tall. Even though I doubted myself, and what I could do for him, I admitted him onto the day care feeding programme. It’s been over a month now and it has been such hard but rewarding work for all.  Slowly we started exercises. When his motivation swayed I told him that the next time I visit London I’d buy him a football. And I told him that the Red Cross all over the world knew about him and asked after his progress daily.  He slowly started to eat. He practised his exercises and learnt to stand by hanging from the roof. He would sweat and cry and I could feel his heart racing with the effort. And every day I told him that everyone was thinking of him. That thought always made him smile.  We managed to get Nazradeen some crutches. All the staff took turns hopping around the centre to demonstrate how to use them. Then yesterday I heard my staff screaming, then I heard clapping. Nazradean, the boy whom a month earlier couldn’t feed himself, scratch himself, take himself to the toilet or move a limb, came walking in on the crutches! He had the biggest smile. I cried tears of joy and every hair on my head stood on end. It was only a month later and I didn’t recognise him as the boy I first met.