A non- governmental, non-profit making organization, Rebuilding Hope on Wheels Initiative(RHOWI) has embarked on visitation of some hospitals in the South East to encourage people with spinal cord injuries.
The initiative, founded by Hajia Amina Audu, is to improve the lives of people with disabilities, particularly those with spinal cord Injuries and Dysfunction (SCI/D).
The group which visited Orthopedic Hospital Enugu on Wednesday, presented lots of gift items for the spinal cord injured people in the hospital ward, pointing out that their message was that “having spinal cord injuries does not mean the end of such persons lives.”
Speaking with journalists after visiting spinal cord injuries patients in their ward at HRH Eze Godwin Ahanonu Spinal Injury Care Complex in Orthopedic Hospital Enugu, the South East coordinator of RHOWI, Ejikeme Fineglo said that the organization was “promoting social inclusion and removing barriers for people in wheelchair to participate in social and occupational activities like other citizens.
“RHOWI has engaged relevant stakeholders since its inception to change the directional way of treating people with spinal cord injuries and dysfunction to specific rehabilitation that teaches people with the injury on how to live life after spinal cord injuries.
“We want to give hope and prepare the survivors and their families for the not too pleasant journey of spinal cord injury which most of our peer supporters have lived through and forged ahead with their lives despite the trauma posed by the injury,” Ejikeme said.
He noted that coming to the hospital was among other things to give the spinal cord injuries people orientation.
“Our primary aim is to make them understand that they are some people who have been in the stage they are now but today are living their lives. We want to assure them that they can still be useful to themselves and the society at large.
“You don’t need to kill yourself or take your life,” he said, narrating what happened to him.
According Ejikeme, he was assaulted by a group of people when he was living in the north for a little misunderstanding which turned into a flight , unfortunately they hit his head on the ground and that compressed his spine from the back , affecting his grip and since then he continued to manage life like that since 2006 till now.
