Bringing hope to Olivia’s life – Helping her find her voice
Despite the dark shadow cast by poverty and poor living conditions, rays of light and hope can be seen and heard in Sanxhak, a village in the periphery of Kurbin Area Development Programme (an area where World Vision has been working for a couple of years located a hour drive far from Tirana, the capital of Albania). Those rays of light often take the form of children’s voices, laughing, signing, sharing and playing with one another. Their joy can often be heard from a long way away. But, not all houses experience this joy.
There is one house, in particular where the silence is deafening. The other boisterous children led us to Olivia’s house. We were inviting children to our summer camps and we wanted her to come as well. Even thought it was a beautiful summer day we didn’t find five-year-old Olivia playing outside with the other children of her neighborhood. Latter, we discovered why.
Her family’s house was as quiet as if no one was inside. Through the window, we saw Olivia watching TV. Eventually, Olivis’a mother arrived and invited us inside. Our presence intimidated Olivia. She tried to hide. She is not used to be in the company of many people. Most of the time she likes to stay alone or play with pets. Her best friend is her grandmother’s cat. This is Olivisa’s world, but she cannot share it or how she feels with you.
A missing “first”
Olivia’s parents have watched her grow in stature. They saw her first smile, noted her first teeth, and celebrated her first steps. But, there is one celebration missing - the celebration of her first words.
“It breaks the heart when your child never asks for food, never tells you why she is crying and never calls you mom,” says Luljeta, 28, trying to hold back her tears.
While Olivia’s mouth cannot make words, she communicates with her eyes. Her eyes are full of light. They show a world full of dreams and desires. She is a smart and understands everything happening around. However, because she is not able to talk, an invisible barrier of silence has distanced her from the others around her.
“She doesn’t like to play with her friends or even go outside of the house,” says Lujeta. “She stays in front of the TV almost all day.”
Struggling to survive
Olivia lives with her mother, her father, Halili, 38, and her 8-year–old brother. Their house is easily recognized, not only because it’s small and old, but also because it is one of the poorest in the village. Their living room has two sofas and the television, which was given to Olivia by a family relative.
It has been many years since Halili was able to have a sustainable job. He works in construction whenever he can find work. The only steady source of income for the family is the $30 a month they receive from the social insurance.
The difficult financial situation and physical poverty of this family is nothing compared to the fact that their little daughter can’t talk; she doesn’t have the same joy as childhood which is what helps many families see beyond their poverty.
A costly cure
When Olivia was 2 years old, her parents were concerned that she was not talking and they sent her to a doctor in nearby Kurbin city. “The doctor calmed us telling that Olivia is healthy and she will talk normally, because her hearing was normal,” remembers Luljeta.
Another year went by and when she was 3 her parents again took her to the doctor with the same concern. All Olivia’s peers had started to say the first words, but Olivia was silent. After the second visit, the doctor said that her tongue was attached to her palate and that she needed a surgery to separate her tongue from the palate. “We didn’t do the surgery, because we couldn’t afford it,” says Luljeta, who was also confused by the different diagnoses.
Rays of light and joy breaking through
Until a few months ago, when she started to be part of the sponsorship project, Olivia’s life did not have many chances of improving. Through sponsorship project, the children receive regular visits and health and education checks by World Vision staff to make sure they have what they need to succeed.
When World Vision staff met Olivia, her parents did not know what was wrong with the health of their daughter. They had received mixed messages from the available medical professionals and they could not afford the trip to Tirana to see a specialist.
Lujeta was concerned because Olivia used to cry a lot, felt sick, and be nervous, but she was unable to understand what was going on and help her. “When I saw Olivia in this situation, the only thing I could do was cry together with her, which didn’t help Olivia at all,” says Luljeta.
Finding answers
World Vision saw that Olivia needed immediate specialized help and supported the family to go in the capital to see the appropriate doctors. After a series of visits to te right specialists, it became clear that Olivia suffers from autism, a condition Olivia’s parents had never even heard of. Even though this was not good news, Olivia’s family was relieved.
“I’m happy that now at least I know what’s wrong with my daughter, so I can give her the right [kind of] support,” says Luljeta, with a raw of hope on her face. “Now I know how to help my daughter better,
she says.
Ongoing support
Through the sponsorship project, World Vision supports Olivia to be taken to an appropriate rehabilitation center, where she can get the right medical help and treatment for autism that she has.
Once every two months, Olivia stays in this center for two straight weeks as part of an intensive therapy to help her improve her health situation and overcome or cope with disability she has. For the first time in her life, Olivia is able to get the right kind of care and support from very devoted and professional doctors, social workers and physiologists. “When Olivia returned home after the first therapy session, she was more relaxed and happy than ever before,” remembers Luljeta.
The fruits of hard work and appropriate assistance—a miracle.
Two months ago, Olivia finally said her long-overdue first words, remembers Blerina, Kurbin ADP sponsorship coordinator, with tears in her eyes.
“Cat”was her first word after five years. This simple word not only made Olivia’s family happy, it also touched the staff of the ADP, who had cared and prayed for her.
The first step in a long journey
Olivia’s journey to be able to speak normally might be long, but according to the specialist she has seen a lot of improvement in a short time, which gives hope that a full life can be found.
For the next three years, she will attend the rehabilitation center regularly and supported by a professional psychologist with the hope that will be able to talk and interact, just like other children.
“I’m grateful and thankful to World Vision and God for this,” says Luljeta, hugging her daughter. “The hope I had lost is becoming real again as I see my Olivia smiling, playing and saying her first words.”
Kurbin ADP in coolaboration with "Albanian Children" a lead autism organisation in Albania have recently organized a seminary on autism. More than 100 parents, health child care professionals, teachers and social workers have been informed about autism and importance of identifying it in a very early age of child.