Pamela
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Pamela started her warm February day like any other. She sent 4 of her 5 children off to school, surveyed the booth where she sold grain and meal, and then began working on turning sugar cane into sugar with two others. Suddenly, she was fighting for her life, struggling madly as first her shirt then her skirt and leg were pulled into the sugar cane crusher. Her co-workers ran off screaming.
Pamela just managed to turn the machine off before she lost consciousness and fell into the trough of sugary liquid. Three days later she woke to find herself in the hospital, her right leg gone, her children terrified, and the man who had cared for her and her children during the previous 5 years had vanished. When she returned home 5 months later, she and her community had little hope for her future. With only one leg, the booth where she used to sell beans, maize, and rice was in shambles. Afraid to return to work with sugar cane crusher as well, Pamela had no way to support herself and her children. She relied on well-wishers and outside donations to send her children to school. She had no hope... However, everything changed in April 2014 when she received the LIMBS prosthetic leg system. Even by the end of the first day of training, Pamela could walk almost by herself. She is determined to become independent again. She didn't even want to stop practicing to eat lunch! With each passing day she is walking better and hopes to reopen her booth selling rice and grains to the community and passers-by. |
