| Throughout Kosovo general health and hygiene awareness is poor. This problem is exacerbated by the fact that around 40% of the population does not have access to clean water and only 50% have access to sanitation facilities, causing high rates of waterborne diseases. As a consequence Kosova has the highest child mortality rate in the whole of Europe.
Islamic Relief has been working in Kosova since 1999. As part of the support we offer, each sponsored orphan and their family members are given an annual health check as well as providing them with the necessary treatment.
One of the children who has benefited from the treatment provided by Islamic Relief is ten-year-old Bekim from a small village in central Kosova. Bekim has been sponsored by Islamic Relief since 2002 which means his mother is able to afford food, clothes and school fees.
When Bekim was just a baby, Kosova was in the midst of war and Bekim and his family were driven from their home. It may have been because of the loud explosions that he was subjected to that Bekim lost his hearing.
Consequently he was never able to talk and his uncle Shaban used to speak for him, “I see that he gets worried, he wants to play with his cousins and siblings but he doesn’t”, said Shaban. “He finds it hard that he cannot hear. He prefers to stay with me or other adults, and he often becomes very nervous when he sees other children playing.”
Bekim’s mother quickly realised when her son was small that he could not hear her but she did not know what to do. Like many other women in Kosova she never completed her education and has a limited understanding of healthcare. Shaban brought Bekim to Islamic Relief to se if he could be helped.
The new health project in Kosova has enabled us to provide support and treatment to children like Bekim who may not otherwise have been able to afford any medical care. Bekim was referred to a doctor who examined him and fitted him with a hearing aid. Now for the first time Bekim is able to hear. It is hoped that with this new aid and with regular speech therapy and medical care, Bekim should soon be able to begin to speak for the first time.
Find out more about Islamic Relief's Health and Nutrition projects
Find out more about Islamic Relief in Kosovo
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