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 Charity Chase
Dennis Machaya
by Kathy Harding MBE
Early December
1994, an inquisitive little 10-year-old Zambian boy found a
hand-grenade in the abandoned Rwandan refugee camp on the outskirts
of Lusaka. Running to show his peasant mother who earned a meager
living by crushing stones, the boy was wrestling with his six year
old step-brother over who should show the find; the pin was removed
and the explosion was devastating. Dennis lost both legs and left
hand. His stepbrother, stepsister, a woman with a baby strapped to
her back were all killed. His mother was blinded.
During the weekly
visit by a small group of Christian women who were caring for the
widows, orphans, destitute and the dying in the UTH.
I came into
contact with this lad. His stepfather who believed Dennis' father
had sent him to deliberately kill his family had abandoned him. He
threatened to kill the boy should he come near him. In the other
family, the stepmother refused to have anything to do with Dennis
because he was an invalid and would add to the burden of their
hardship and extreme poverty.
Dennis was too
old to be taken to the orphanage and not knowing what to do with
him, the nursing staff in G-Block Ward II had received permission
for him to remain there. We would see this bright little fellow
skidding about the smooth floor on his bottom, looking like a
spinning top as he whizzed about between one's legs.
 My Late husband
and I finally took on the responsibility of Dennis. The first
priority was to get him into school! The Da Gama Catholic Mission
School for Handicapped Children on the Copperbelt was persuaded to
consider accepting Dennis as a pupil. There was a proviso: Dennis
had to be walking before he could enter as a boarder. A tall order
but a good challenge for the Hardings.
We had just four
months before the start of the new school year - 1996. We sought the
help of Dr. Jellis, the famous Orthopaedic surgeon in Lusaka, who
advised Dennis required further surgery to the amputees before
prosthesis could be fitted. We had to go private, as there was a
long waiting list for assisted costs by Government. Just before
Christmas Dennis received his new legs and on the opening day of the
new school year, the lad walked with joy into the assembly hall.
Dennis quickly
became the most popular boy amongst his peers and a favourite with
the
staff. He refused
to be pitied and shunned any sympathy. On the sports field, Dennis
won first place in the 100m-wheelchair race in the Annual
Paraplegics Events on the Copperbelt. Sadly the school was
re-designated to girls only and in 1998 the hard task of finding
another school started.
There are no
secondary schools
in Zambia for
physically handicapped boys. Dennis entered the Kabulonga Secondary
School for Boys/Girls as a boarder but left after one term because
the ablution facilities were unacceptable. In spite of having to
climb four flights of stairs to the classroom, Dennis endured the
awkwardness of moving with heavy artificial legs. There was little
compassion shown by his peers who seemed to have no regard for
someone with a serious handicap.
We found a
small private school about 15 km out of Lusaka where Dennis
completed Grade 9 but this closed down at the end of that year. The
burden was heavy as we continued to seek a place for Dennis.
We were faced
with having to pay high fees for a suitable boarding school and our
application to Musi Secondary School in Ndola t was turned down when
the headmaster saw Dennis. He made every excuse why the lad would
not cope but Dennis himself countered every argument.
In
desperation, at the end of my tether [my husband had now died] I
sought the help of the Provincial Director for Education in Kabwe.
During the interview I broke down in utter frustration. Mr. Mwansa
is a beautiful Christian and felt it the duty of his country to do
everything to help the situation.
Mr. Mwansa
created a place for Dennis in Chibombo Secondary School for
Boys/Girls- about 15km north of the leper colony on the Great North
Road. One of the teachers, Mr Mulenga had taught Dennis at Da Gama
and wanted to have him in his class because he understood physical
handicap difficulties. Dennis refused to be looked upon as different
from any other pupil and chose to be in another class.
Dennis excels
in his studies, as he remains single-minded to do well. In
July 2003,
 Dennis was put
forward as the representative of his school in the regional JETS of
Zambia Fair [Junior Engineers Technicians and Scientists] and took
second place competing with 56 schools, for his invention of the
drip monitor. The certificate reads "and has thereby contributed to
the development of Science, Mathematics and Engineering in Zambia"
Dennis started
a Prayer and Bible Study Group with 5 friends and this number grew
to 70 who met each morning at 5 o'clock. He was president of the
Drama Club, writes his own lyrics and with 6 friends is preparing to
cut a first CD.
Dennis is able
to fix just about anything placed in front of him - from the
intricacies of the inside of a radio, to an electric iron, screwing
into wood/wall and even turning out good items in the Carpentry
workshop.
October 2004
Dennis sat his final examinations in Grade 12. He has achieved a
FULL CERTIFICATE having gained Credits and Merits in all seven
subjects.
What
of the future?
Dennis has the world at his feet PROVIDING he is given the
opportunity to show he is as good as the next guy! His desire is to
go to University to become an electronics engineer and his
School-leaving Certificate is the open door to his application to
UNZA.
The request
before readers is for financial support to send Dennis to South
Africa to have two new light-weight prosthesis made. His present
artificial legs each weigh approx 15 kg, are bulky and due to their
great weight caused a fall that broke the one prosthesis and damaged
the stump. Prof Mulla had Dennis in the Zambia/Italian Orthopaedic
Hospital recently and operated by removing 25 mm of bone and
reshaping the mid-thigh stump.
Light-weight
artificial legs cannot be made in Zambia it is imperative Dennis
goes to South Africa as soon as possible. Financial support is
needed for airfares, accommodation and medical expenses. Due
to his present total incapacity he will also need someone to
accompany him. If any readers wish to contribute towards this,
please contact The Lowdown
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July 2005