Lele has Cerebral Palsy. When her divorced parents did not want to take on the responsibility of looking after her, her grandmother stepped into the role as her sole carer.

Her friends tried to persuade her grandmother to give up on Lele, but she cherished her granddaughter so much, she was determined to do whatever she could in raising her.

It was from the hospital where she and Lele visited, and through the parents who were also raising their child who has a disability – that she first heard about ICC’s Family Partners Programme (FPP).  She was greatly encouraged and relieved when she discovered she could get free therapy for Lele. Nearly all her money had been used up trying to provide therapy for her granddaughter.

Lele was eight years old when she first came onto FPP. Her grandmother believed the programme would provide more opportunities for Lele and she was undeterred by the challenging commute (which include carrying Lele six floors down from their apartment to their bus stop). 

Over the last five years, Lele’s grandmother has received continuous support and training through the community, while social workers from FPP have undertaken home visits to the family to prevent them from feeling isolated. 

Not only has Lele received physiotherapy and special education, but they have also been attending outings and going to the summer camps. All of this has resulted in improvement in her emotional health and expanded her capabilities. Lele and her grandmother have found kindness, friendship and a supportive community that feels like a family.