A new baby arrived at the safe-home yesterday, Retabile. At 3 months old – born July 23rd, 2008 – Retabile is definitely a “Wee-One”, swaddled in blankets and held by bo’m’e most of the day.
Retabile’s came to the safe-home because his mother recently passed away from an undetermined sickness. We know that his mother had a “headache” and “the right side of her body stopped working” – but are not sure of the underlying causes of her death.
Despite the tragedy of losing his mother, Retabile is doing pretty well. He is not showing any signs of malnutrition, and his rapid-test for HIV came back negative. In Lesotho, being HIV negative and well-fed cannot be taken for granted. But with Retabile’s current health, he has a real shot at living a decent life if he can just get through this most vulnerable time – 3 months old and motherless. TTL will get him through this vulnerable phase, and when he is safely growing and his extended family is ready, he will be sent home.
Although he doesn’t look like it in these pictures, Retabile is smiley and alert, and hopefully his time at the safe-home can be somewhat brief. But for now, the safe-home is back up to 8 kids, and jamming with activity.
The TTLF Fellow is a representative of the North American organisation The Tiny Lives Foundation. Based for one year in Mokhotlong, Lesotho, the TTLF Fellow serves in an administrative support capacity for the Basotho charity TTL.
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