May 15, 2010 was International Day of Families. World Vision, a strong supporter and advocate of the family unit, works on the ground in more than 98 countries to help needy families across the world. In celebration of this special day, here's a story of a family that World Vision is currently helping.
An old tinned roof, see-through bamboo walls, and what seemed like the least attractive building in town is school to some of the brightest children in Yaingangpokpi area of Manipur. The six-year-old World Vision sponsored child Somishang Vashum walks to school everyday with his sister, Sotmiwon, who is nine years old. On some fortunate days, their carpenter father Kanmi Vashum comes to pick them up with his bike. “I love going by bike,” shares the excited Somishang.
Darling of his friends, siblings and teachers, the little Somishang manages to win every heart with his bright smile and cheerfulness. As his teachers and World Vision staff who had come to pay his school fees look on, he shares his toffees with his sister and she takes his school bag. “He is a good student. He came in second in his class,” the school principal shares. Somishang is presently studying in Kindergarten Two.
Back home in the Leiyaram village of Ukhrul district about three kilometers away from Yaingangpokpi, Somishang’s mother, Thothingla, is very sick. With the father’s income of just about Rs 3000 (USD 60) per month, they have not been able to save up enough money for her medical treatment. “When Somishang was just nine months old, he and I got very sick. It was then we discovered we have HIV/AIDS,” Somishang’s mother recalls.
The family later discovered that the father and the daughter were also infected. Over the years, with both parents getting frequently ill, raising up three children with the limited resources they had became a struggle. “However, World Vision played parents to us all. In fact, Somishang is World Vision’s child. Since he was nine months old, World Vision has been supporting him with nutrition supplement and all kinds of medical assistance. He is now living his second life,” shares the grateful mother.
