Polio Survivors Fund – 2021 Implementation and Financial Report published
The Polio Survivors Fund 2021 Implementation and Financial Report is now published, in the ‘Donate & Financials’ section of our website. This section now also includes new information specifically for US-based donors, enabling their contributions to be tax-deductible.
The 2021 report summarises the support to families which the Polio Survivors Fund provided in 2021, and provides an overview of the Fund’s financial situation (income and expenditures). At the same time, it outlines what we have learned over the past year, and where we see the Fund going in the future.
The 2021 support provided ranged from purchasing wheelchairs and ensuring that homes are accessible, to paying for schooling and physiotherapy. This support is needed for one simple reason: With each year that polio still exists in the world, there are children left with devastating paralysis. Most children newly affected by polio are from the poorest households, in countries with inadequate health infrastructure and acute humanitarian need. Many Polio Survivors Fund volunteers are officially engaged with the global effort to eradicate polio. By using the personal relationships that Polio Survivor’s Fund volunteers have with the families of polio-affected children, the Fund aims to provide tailored support to the households hit by a worst-case scenario.
Our work has been enabled thanks to the generosity of our many supporters and donors worldwide. Thank you for your continued support, which is enabling us to provide critically-needed support to children affected by polio and their families. And please follow us on LinkedIn at:https://www.linkedin.com/company/polio-survivors-fund
With thanks to Polio Survivors Fund supporters, over US$15,000 has already been raised to assist children affected by polio paralysis.
Polio Survivors Fund - providing critical support to children affected by polio
The Polio Survivors Fund provides critical support to children and their families affected by polio. Children such as Hamza, a young polio survivor living in Hodon district, in Mogadishu, Somalia.
In 2021, Hamza, one of the first recipients of the fund, received a wheelchair-stroller, toys and schoolbooks. As he lives far from the nearest school, a tutor was recruited to provide him with temporary home-schooling. His family received milk powder to aid with his nutrition, and the floor and doorway of his home were rebuilt to fit his wheelchair and allow him to move around with more freedom.
Since beginning education, Hamza has made strong progress. The implementing team have since worked to source a manual, hand operated wheelchair to give him greater mobility and allow Hamza to attend a local school – an opportunity that many children with polio paralysis miss out on.
The Polio Survivors Fund members who organized the support are based in Somalia and have been at the forefront of fighting the ongoing polio outbreak there. Dr Asma Ali, former polio eradication team lead for WHO Somalia, who identified Hamza as suitable for support, said, “The effects of polio paralysis can be life-long, and life-limiting, particularly in poorer contexts. We are delighted that through the support of the Polio Survivors Fund we have been able to provide a basic package, which allows Hamza to continue with his education and lead a more active childhood. We sincerely hope that through the Fund, more children can be identified and supported in Somalia.”
Ashley Burman, a member of the Polio Survivors Fund, said, “By working directly with polio eradication staff on the ground, the Fund can really identify the most relevant needs for very specific children. Polio eradication staff are in direct contact with the families and the children, and they can ensure the right support reaches the child in the right manner. Using the experiences gained from this successful pilot, and thanks to the exceptional generosity of our supporters, we can begin to reach more children in the coming months.” Already, the Fund is providing similar support to other children in Somalia and elsewhere.
Adapting Hamza’s house to make it wheelchair accessible was a key part of the support provided.
With the support of the Fund, Hamza can continue his education. Worldwide many children affected by polio miss out on schooling, as they are unable to reach the classroom.
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