Name: Jacqueline Achieng

Chronological Age: 12
Grade: none
School: none
Vision Screening: Unable to complete
Hearing Screening: Unable to complete
Evaluation Date: June 24, 2008
Evaluation Location: Dago Village
Examiner: Linda, M.A., CCC-SLP, through Edwin as our Luo/English translator

Reason for Referral: Jackie was referred for intervention due to significant concerns regarding her health, development, and cognitive status affecting the family's daily living and survival.

Educational History: Jackie has not attended school. Public schools cannot accommodate her needs. She is unable to walk to school or be unsupervised.

Medical History: Hospitalized for severe malaria at age 3 and has had epileptic seizures ever since. Mom reports doctor recommended she eats several small meals instead of 3 normal ones in order to decrease her chances of choking on reflux or vomit during an attack.

Family History: Jackie has 7 siblings and lives with her mom in a small mud hut in Dago village. Jackie's father has other wives and rarely visits this home. They suspect it is because of the disabilities in the family: Jackie's 10-year-old sister, Rose, is developmentally delayed.

Interview: Mom reported that Jackie zones out particularly when the moon is in its ascending phase for 5 days, and when it's in the descending phase for 5 days (so, a total of 10 days). Her seizures last an average of 30 minutes, and there are times when she stares off into space.
Mom reported that she constantly falls, resulting in scars on the back of her head. Mom says she "can't think straight" so she does everything for her (feed, bathe, etc.). I noticed she drools as well. During my visit, the moon was not in the right phase for me to see her in her more 'active' state, during which she can help with simple chores, talk, and feed herself.

On an average day, Mom must get up very early to make breakfast for her 8 children. This involves gathering firewood, getting water from the river, and preparing all food from scratch. She also does the laundry for all the kids, and by 10-10:30am she has to make another meal for Jackie before her other children return for lunch.

Around 4pm, Mom makes another meal for Jackie, and later makes dinner for everyone before bedtime. Dishes, farming, cleaning, and other chores are done somewhere along the way. Jackie has a habit of wandering around in addition to falling during seizures, so she has to be constantly supervised.

Mom's biggest concern, beyond her worsening state, is Jackie's inability to bathe herself. Jackie likes to follow her sisters to the river and tries to even copy washing panties, but she is ineffective and wastes their soap and takes up a lot of Mom's time.

Caregiver Education: I educated Mom about epilepsy, grand mal seizures, how it affects her growth and learning, and the different treatment options available to help her function normally. Having only cursory knowledge of epilepsy disorders, I couldn't do much else. I explained again my background in rehabilitation, and the training I can provide after the seizures are controlled. I had to emphasize that only through medical intervention like medication, which can be a long, complicated process to find the effective dosages, can she be able to function and learn.

However, I was determined to do SOMETHING to help while I was there. I returned the day after with some felt and a headscarf I bought in Kericho last year. At least to prevent more major scars from falls, she can wear a wrap like other women do, yet hide the extra padding underneath. Mom liked this a lot.



Next, at my request to observe the bathing process, Mom set up a little area out back with a tub of water and a wall of leaves. Mom said when she's not in her dazed period, she can do almost everything herself except bathe herself. The best way I thought I could help was to see what the problems were in person. Over the next half hour or more, I observed how Jackie bathed and how Mom interacted with her throughout the process, then taught Mom about teaching techniques, and finally spent time practicing with Jackie. I tried to give just some basic ideas like keeping to a routine, giving hand-over-hand help with verbal cues, and keeping her instructions short/simple. The best I could do then was leave her with some notes using donated paper and markers (Thanks again, folks!).


I wish you could each see the pained expression on Mom's face as she talked about her children, her sense of helplessness, her fear for their future. She was desperate for help. No, she IS STILL desperate for help. She's already doing everything she can for Jacqueline and her family, but has nowhere to turn. Mom is also a devote Christian, and said that she "trusts in God because He made her, and will do anything for her to improve her life".

Before I left her home for the last time, I committed myself to helping her and her family. First thing's first, Jacqueline needs medical attention. Edwin is still helping me figure out the costs and logistics of transportation to/from the hospital, potential medical fees, etc. so that I can have a ballpark figure to target when fundraising. Meanwhile, I think I can now start the process of creating awareness, arousing sympathy and requesting help.

To donate by check, please make checks payable to Village Volunteers and note the purpose in the memo line ("Jackie Achieng of Dago"). Checks should be mailed to:

Village Volunteers
5100 S. Dawson St., Suite 202
Seattle, WA 98118
USA

You can also make a donation online. Village Volunteers uses PayPal to securely process all online donations.

Or, if you would like to wire a donation to Village Volunteers, please email Florinda Peralta at florinda@villagevolunteers.org for our account information.