Sonia Shanaaz, the mother of 10-year-old Aarna who was born with cerebral palsy, says silent treatment hurts after she reached out to the Ministry of Social Protection six months ago to enquire about the assistance available for her daughter.
She says she made the request to know what type of assistance is available because she knows that in many overseas countries, governments provide support for children like Aarna and for people living with disabilities.
Speaking on fijivillage Straight Talk With Vijay Narayan, Shanaaz says raising a child with a disability is financially overwhelming.
She has to cover rent, medical expenses, and, as Aarna grows, she now needs to upgrade to a disability-friendly vehicle to properly transport her daughter.
Shanaaz highlighted the rising cost of essential items such as the medication that used to cost $40 three years ago is now almost $60, protein supplements have increased from $25 to about $57 and adult diapers now cost her $32 for a packet of eight.
She says while people on social media offer encouraging comments that give her strength and hope, her family needs proper support and assistance.
Sonia on disability allowance MC 11th Dec
Shanaaz stresses she is not blaming any individual, saying that over the past 10 years, different governments have come and gone, yet this issue has still not been adequately addressed.
She adds that the Ministry visited her last week, but nothing has developed since then.
fijivillage News had contacted the Minister for Social Protection, Sashi Kiran regarding Shanaaz's concerns.
We are awaiting her response.
Shanaaz explains that cerebral palsy occurs when the cerebrum is not functioning properly or is malfunctioning, affecting a person’s ability to coordinate body movements.
Aarna has a severe form of cerebral palsy and is unable to control any of her body movements, including her gag reflex, this means she cannot drink water on her own and they have to position her carefully so she can swallow safely.
The 30-year-old says she was just 20 when she gave birth to Aarna, and at the time, they did not have proper internet access or enough information about cerebral palsy.
She says she still feels unprepared for the future because it is too scary not knowing what her daughter’s life will look like.
To support her daughter, Shanaaz runs a small business while also paying rent and managing Aarna’s daily care needs.
She says it is not easy, as she is Aarna’s primary caregiver. When she goes out to make deliveries, her parents and sister look after her daughter.
Shanaaz says Aarna loves burgers, enjoys watching Peppa Pig, and loves listening to Taylor Swift songs. She is a very social child and enjoys having visitors.
Sonia on daughter and strength MC 11th Dec
Shanaaz adds that it takes a great deal of faith in God to raise a child with a disability, and that every day requires renewed strength and confidence.
If you would like to assist Shanaaz and Aarna this Christmas, her bank detail is BSP 9429167.
You can watch the full Straight Talk interview on our website, fijivillage.
