Grandmother pleads for help to care for sick, disabled child

Maria Timotheus (66) is appealing for help from good Samaritans as she struggles to care for her 15-year-old orphaned and hearing-impaired grandson, who has been battling a serious infected wound for the past year and a half.Timotheus, who lives in Okatope village in the Ongwediva constituency of the Oshana Region, says each time she takes her grandson to the Ongwediva clinic for wound dressing, she must buy the necessary materials from a pharmacy, as the clinic reportedly lacks supplies.The pair make the journey three times a week – on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.She added that her grandson does not have national identification documents, which has made him ineligible for a disability grant.Medical records indicate that the boy was admitted to Oshakati State Hospital for six months early last year before being discharged.Speaking to Namibian Sun from her home recently, the visibly exhausted grandmother said she lives with four grandchildren, all of whom rely on her pension for survival. Two of the boys, aged six and seven, are enrolled in school. The 13-year-old recently obtained national identification documents, while the 15-year-old remains undocumented – and neither teenager is currently enrolled at a school.Timotheus has looked after the child since June 2024 after she was requested to do so by the child’s maternal grandmother, Selestina Shimhanda, who currently lives at Omongwa, Angola.‘Sleepless nights’Timotheus said she is unsure of the exact nature of her grandson’s illness, as she was only called in to care for him after his condition had worsened.“The grandmother from Angola – who is the mother of the boy’s late mother – was initially called and told that Sakaria was admitted at Engela Hospital," she explained.However, by the time she arrived, he had reportedly already been transferred to Oshakati. "That was in January 2024. He remained hospitalised until June, and when he was discharged, he was brought to me,” Timotheus added.Now, nearly 17 months later, Timotheus says the wound shows no sign of healing, despite regular clinic visits and the diligent attention of medical staff. “In fact, it looks like it’s getting worse,” she said. “I’ve spent a lot of money and I don’t know what more to do. I have sleepless nights.”She believes that if her grandson can obtain national identification documents and qualify for a disability grant, it would help ease her financial burden.“I don’t have hope that his leg will heal. The nurses told me only a doctor can decide whether the leg will be amputated or if further treatment is possible,” Timotheus said.What pains her most, she said, is not the cost or the long trips to the clinic but watching her grandson suffer.“I told myself that God gave me this burden. I thought I could handle it – and we will be fine. But some days are really tough. When there’s no money for transport and we need to go to the hospital, we have to walk. And it’s very difficult for him to walk – I have to support him all the way.”Lack of documentation Home affairs and immigration ministry spokesperson Margaret Kalo told Namibian Sun that the ministry had reached out to Timotheus and obtained information suggesting that the child may have been born at Engela State Hospital, although no proof has been found yet.“Both parents have passed away in Angola, and they are believed to have been Angolan nationals. There are no death certificates or any identification documents of the parents available,” she explained. Kalo said the basic requirements for birth registration include proof of birth, the parents’ identification documents, and, if the parents are deceased, their death certificates along with sworn declarations from relatives supporting the child&#039;s registration.“In the case under consideration, none of these supporting documents are currently available," she noted. She noted that Timotheus has indicated she is unsure of the child’s place or date of birth. However, Kalo said the maternal grandmother is still alive and may be in a better position to provide the necessary information to assist with the case.The ministry has advised both Timotheus and Shimhanda to visit their nearest ministry office with all available information and supporting documents so the matter can be formally addressed.tuyeimo@nmh-hub.com.na

Grandmother pleads for help to care for sick, disabled child

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Namibian Sun 2026-03-02

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Grandmother pleads for help to care for sick, disabled child

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Namibian Sun 2026-03-02

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