The Forgotten
Her name is Dorika and she is 6. When Dorika’s mother was 3 months pregnant, Congolese rebels raped her and then raped her again when she was 8 months along. Forced to flee into Uganda, she delivered little Dorika in the jungle and was on the run for several months. By the time Dorika received medical attention she was 5 months old.
Today, Dorika suffers from brain damage as a result of the trauma, cries incessantly, grinds her teeth, has poor vision, is unable to sit or stand on her own, and is unable to feed herself. Regrettably, Dorika’s story is just one of many such tales that come from countries where conflict and terrorism are a way of life. Yet, the story doesn’t end here. Out of shame or guilt, parents of disabled children hide, neglect and/or abuse them. Is this appalling? dreadful? Why does this happen? What can be done?
Ignorance plays a huge part in negative behaviors. To remedy this situation, we are working with Texas A&M’s School of Public Health to research and create a unique survey that will identify those children that have been hidden, forced onto the street or are living in abusive environments. Our ultimate goal is to teach families about disabilities and how to care for these special children. At Rose Academies, our mission is to empower the oppressed with knowledge and be the voice for those who cannot speak.