The importance of a good night’s sleep
March 2021
A lack of sleep can have detrimental effects on a child’s education and ability to learn.
But many of our Nasio children in western Kenya are without a bed, and sleep every night on a blanket laid on the mud floor of their family home due to poverty. This is why The Nasio Trust is launching an appeal to raise £8,000 to provide beds for our 115 children who currently have no beds. You can help us change this by donating towards our beds appeal.
Meet Tabitha
This is 14 year old Tabitha Namatsi. Tabitha lives in Ekero, Mumias with her two brothers, two sisters and her mother. She currently attends Mumias Township Primary School in Grade Six, where her favourite subject is Languages. Her family live in a single-roomed mud house with an iron sheet roof. All members of the family currently sleep on the floor, putting them at risk of jiggers and other health issues. As part of this appeal Nasio is raising money to buy Tabitha and her family beds, mattresses, sheets and blankets to ensure that they are provided with a safe, comfortable place to sleep every night.
Abraham’s Story
Abraham is the first born in a family of two siblings, he was conceived when his mother was still a student in school. His father denied the pregnancy so his mother moved back to her home and gave birth to Abraham. Abraham now lives with his maternal grandmother because his mother currently works in Saudi Arabia as a house help to support the family.
Unfortunately Abraham was born with Sickle cell anaemia and is on constant medication, which his grandmother supervises. Although the grandmother is trying her best to raise Abraham and his brother Patrick, who is also a beneficiary and also epileptic, it is sometimes difficult for her especially when they all get attacks from their condition. As well as her grandchildren she also has her own children to provide for.
Abraham falls ill at least every week because he doesn’t have a safe bed on which to sleep. He sleeps on the floor which is not healthy for a child in his condition. His poor sleep has affected his class performance and he suffers from the cold during the night. He doesn’t have a mosquito net to help with malaria prevention.
His health can improve if he gets a comfortable place to sleep. The provision of a bed could prevent him from catching other diseases like pneumonia and malaria which might affect his immune system and worsen his condition.
This story is listed in: Child Stories
