Written by David Steiner, Founder of Hands Around the World, this is an account of how one little girl’s life was changed.
Margery’s story
Last October (2002), I got to meet Margery Akurut. This was an emotional meeting for both of us and came about 6 months after I first heard of her. Margery is an AIDS orphan in rural Uganda, a beautiful 10 year old girl who lives with her grandmother. She was born with weak ankles and developed bi-lateral club feet, which severely affected her life, as her problem had been left untreated for years.
When I heard of her in 2001, I felt sure that through HATW contacts she could be helped, and so it proved, as within a week of sifting through my email address book I had the details of a specialist paediatric surgical team who would soon be visiting a hospital near her. She had her operation in June, and when she was brought to meet me, (with her grandmother on the back of a motorbike!) she was just out of plaster, beaming from ear to ear and walking a few steps in flip-flops! She was fitted for supporting footwear the following week. I feel really excited for Margery’s future, and privileged to have played a small part in her life-changing treatment.
