Nomthandazo, which means prayer in SiSwati has been diagnosed with congenital megacolon on admission at the hospital. This condition has caused a serious bowel obstruction, which has resulted in her stomach and small intestines to drift apart. This condition has left Nomthandazo’s growth stunted to the point that physically she looks four years old, yet she is nine years old in actuality.

The economic status of her family also does not make it any easier for Nomthandazo. In addition to her medical condition, she has also suffered from severe malnutrition. Despite numerous consultations with doctors over the years, who had been trying to address her malnutrition her nutritional state would either remain the same or worse. It wasn’t until she was referred to a private facility that doctors were able to attribute her malnutrition in part to her bowel obstruction, properly diagnose. Unfortunately, there were no resources to cater for her medical needs, that could get her back on track. That is until, an All Out Africa volunteer (Cleo) from the UK, who joined our program last December. She was touched by Nomthandazo’s story and generously donated towards her medical bills. As I write this blog I just wiped a tear due to the excitement of the news that brave Nomthandazo has come out of the operating theatre. The operation has been a success and will discharge after spending ten days in the hospital for recovery. Nomthandazo will still require some additional consultations with doctors to make sure the operation continues to be successful, however, for now, she is in good hands and on the path to a healthy, pain-free life.

At All Out Africa, we are so grateful to our volunteers for allowing us to be a connection for cases like Nomthandazo’s.

It’s been a journey worth the wait!

Update! After almost a year, Nomthandazo is doing well and growing! We love watching her continue to bloom. Volunteers can truly change a life, and this little miracle is living proof!

Nomthandazo almost one year after her surgery. She is gaining weight and happy!

Written by Eunice (NCP Coordinator)

If you would like to donate to our Foundation, so we can contribute to stories like this one, you can donate here https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/educate-a-swazi-child/

Since 2004, All Out Africa Foundation has developed Six Neighborhood Care Points (NCP’s). For more than 1,000 kids these NCP’s have set a solid foundation for their education and allowed them to speed past their peers once they reached primary school age, and beyond. It has been an amazing journey to watch and be a part of.

As our NCP’s continue to expand their reach and help even more vulnerable children and families, we need to stop and evaluate our successes and our challenges. This is why this year we are calling for special interns to be a part of our Early Childhood Education Internship.

This internship will help us develop and implement a series of evaluation tools to add to our NCP’s. This will help us gage how we are doing, how our kids are learning, how our teachers are teaching and even beyond, tracking our students throughout their studies. If you want to be a part of our NCP history, as well as the foundation of hundreds of kids education, then we encourage you to apply for this unique opportunity!

For more information download our Early Childhood Education Project Brief here: Early Childhood Education Internship Project Overview

If this looks like an internship that you would like to be a part of, email us at bookings@alloutafrica.com with a little bit more about you along with your CV. We would love to meet you and get started!

Please note that this is internship is a PAID experience, in which participates pay a fee to participate. Fee includes cost of accommodation, 3 meals a day and All Out Africa Staff support from qualified personnel.

Today we are highlighting Eunice our NCP coordinator, AKA known as “mama” to our volunteers each month. Eunice joined our team a year ago, and has quickly become a part of the All Out Africa family – there is not a day that goes by without a good laugh in our office with her!

What is your favourite thing about your job?

I love being able to help someone who is less fortunate than me, especially when it is a child. Being able to do this everyday, really makes me feel so good.

When was a time you thought to yourself “wow, I love what I do!”

It was fairly early on in my employment by AOA. A volunteer wanted to help one of our vulnerable children, who was also suffering from lack of hearing. I was able to assist him, by organising the donation for a hearing aid for the 8 year old boy. This donation was a HUGE life changer for the child, and enabled him to start school. He is doing so well in school now!

Where is your favourite local hang out?

My two children ( aged 8 & 9 years), LOVE ice cream from KFC. I find myself spending a lot of my time there with them.

When you’re not changing the world, what do you do for fun?

When I’m not at work, i’m cooking my signature, and world famous chilli sauce! I sell this sauce to my community, my colleagues and anyone I meet (it’s spicy!)

When i’m not in the kitchen, I enjoy “chilling” at home. Relaxing with your family is always rewarding.

When you wake up in the morning what do you look forward to most?

I look forward to leading by example. Each day I try to be the best I can be, so each month the volunteers have a great experience!

If you had a super power what would it be?

If I could have a super power, I would choose to be able to be in different places at the same time. There is so much to do and see!

If you were a volunteer with AOA, what program or tour would you sign up for? (and why?)

If I were a volunteer I would do the Marine Research & Whale Shark Conservation project. I grew up swimming and I would love to go scuba diving! It would be so cool to see the depth of the ocean!