STORIES
“It is every child’s dream to live and grow up into a responsible person. Dreams help us overcome the most feared diseases, species, and barriers the world has set ahead of us. Sadly, not all who fight make it to their expected ends. Life can be brutal, even to those who have never committed any crime in their entire existence.
Kennedy was very young when he started feeling sick; his stomach kept growing bigger even without eating anything. He also started to experience heart problems. His mother rushed him to the hospital to look for a solution; she was told that part of Kennedy’s lungs had dried up and no longer functioned. The doctors informed her that she should always bring him to the hospital every Thursday so that they could remove unwanted water from his stomach, as that was the cause of the swelling stomach. The doctors said Kennedy was suffering from Cirrhosis. The process of removing the water from his stomach did not help the problem end, but the weight and the pain he was feeling were lessened every time he was treated.”
“One of our volunteers, Precious Devwe, discovered Kennedy and explained the problem to the TNF team. Tapiwa Nkhoma, who is the founder of the foundation, talked to the executive director of the foundation, Alfred Maida, to reach out to the family and inquire how TNF could help. After talking to Kennedy’s mother, we took part in assisting them with transportation fare, hospital bills and other basic personal needs every week.
After a good period of helping Kennedy, he felt it was better for him to start going back to school because he had stopped due to the situation. He did not like the idea of accepting defeat and staying home; he had dreams of finishing school at a good age so that he could achieve his goals, secure a good job, and help his family in the future. TNF sent money for Kennedy to buy books and other materials needed to return to school. He was so happy to go back to school. Due to his condition, he wasn’t allowed to go back to school. Realizing how passionate Kennedy was about school, we agreed with his mother that they should look for a teacher to teach him from home and everything will be taken care by TNF. Kennedy and his mother were so happy to hear that.
“On the 19th of March 2023, we received the news that Kennedy is no more. It was hard to accept; we were filled with a lot of questions and our hearts were broken. He died at a very young age; he was only 23. It was heartbreaking to see his mother burying the only child she hoped would do well in life one day and be of help to her. For we cannot question God, we accepted it.
Kennedy might be gone from this world, but in our hearts, he has left a good spirit, memories we will never forget, and dreams we hope to see another child fulfill. Many kids suffer from this very disease; you and I can make a difference by reaching out to them and helping them achieve their goals. Together, we can prove to the world that ‘every child matters,’ and they are the generation that will carry our legacies. May all the souls of the children we have lost rest in peace.”
