National Cotonou University Hospital Center, Tuesday December 10, 2024; The middle of the morning, the sun floods the courtyard, not a breath of wind. Souleyman Lawani, a man in his sixties, waits in a small room that a fan hung on the ceiling. He has an appointment to have his prosthesis checked. For him who suffered an amputation after a road accident, power again and coming as he pleases is a real relief; It is the result of his courage and decisive meetings that have changed the course of his life.
Road accident: in a few moments, a life changes
Souleyman is survived by a road accident that occurred in June 2017; As he returns from sport, a car struck him violently. The shock makes him lose consciousness. The driver fled and as no one else saw the accident, a lot of time flows before the emergency services arrive. Souleyman is hospitalized at CNHU in Cotonou where doctors try to suture his left leg, but the wounds are too deep and they are forced to amputate it.
Road accidents are the third cause of rehabilitation needs for Benin and can tip life. Before his accident, Souleyman worked as a car body painter, he was married and had a family. But after his accident, his wife left him and he loses his job; With a single leg, he is constrained in his movements and depends on the help of others for all everyday gestures.
To find more autonomy, Souleyman needs a prosthesis, but his financial means does not allow him. A prosthesis costs almost 700 €, not to mention the artificial knee which avoids having to declip it to sit. A considerable sum, while the minimum wage per month in Benin is around € 80. But Souleyman is not discouraged and seeks solutions; He even writes to the Ministry of Health to ask for help.
Find more autonomy
Some time later, Souleyman intends to speak of the single social protection window (GUPS), a decentralized structure of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Microfinance which houses a contact contact for community -based rehabilitation. He decides to go there and meets Sabine Agbo, the technical manager of the contact space which has accompanied him since then. Together, they constitute a file; This is how Souleyman contacts Hi, partner of the GUPS.
To allow Souleyman to regain mobility and autonomy, HI covers its travel costs, drugs as well as the manufacture of its prosthesis. The organization also finances him about twenty physiotherapy sessions of 1.5 hours, three times a week. Souleyman follows them conscientiously and takes up all the exercises at home to continue to soften his muscles. His progress is spectacular. He who was hardly moving remarrche without difficulty and can go wherever he wishes.
“Before I have my prosthesis, I couldn’t walk, I jumped. Today, everything is much easier on a daily basis. I walk well and I have no more pain. I am happy to be more autonomous again, to be able to go alone to the market for example, “ Explique Souleyman Lawani.
Since he received his prosthesis, Souleyman returns regularly to the CNHU to ensure follow -up. This is how this Tuesday in December, when he enters the exercise room, the orthoprosthetist and the HI teams find that he is a bit of imbalance: his basin leans slightly on the right side when he walks. They make some adjustments and add an insole in its left shoe, then meet him the following week to adjust the height of his prosthesis more permanently. The HI teams also decide to renew its physiotherapy sessions – Souleyman will get back to it in the coming days.
Next step: financial independence
Since he lost his job, Souleyman has been in a difficult situation because he has no more income to meet his daily expenses. For him, regaining financial independence is crucial. To help him, HI and the GUPS request various partners who support the professional reintegration of disabled people; Thus, with the help of Sabine Agbo, Souleyman defines her project.
“At my age, there are very physical activities that I can no longer do so I would like to operate a professional retraining to launch a small business. My project is to open a counter to market ice cream. I also think of diversifying my activity by buying a condiments mill to offer spices. »»
Thanks to aid from the Ministry of Social Affairs, Souleyman has already received a small fridge to sell ice cubes during the holidays. It is the first step towards this independence to which he aspires and which he actively prepares.
Life was not tender with him, and he went through difficult times; But all those who accompany him will say, Souleyman is a determined and courageous man who fights and will do everything to bounce back.
“It was hard for him. But since he has received support, he feels better and resumes hope. An accident in the public road, it really changes a life, “summarizes Togni, physiotherapist and responsible for rehabilitation as Hi.
Promote and develop rehabilitation to Benin
Benin has around 300 rehabilitation professionals, that is to say less than 100,000 inhabitants, and 80 % of them exercise in the south of the country and in large cities. In addition, geographic and financial barriers limit users’ access to these essential services; This is why HI is leading a project to develop them.
The HI rehabilitation project, launched in 2022 and which continues until 2026, will support around 300 people like Souleyman Lawani. HI activities are divided into two components: first, road safety awareness actions, in partnership with clubs and road safety associations. Second, support for rehabilitation services for road victims, in order to break the production chain of motor handicaps and facilitate the functional autonomy of accidental people. This project is carried out in close collaboration with the Ministries of Health and Social Affairs, associations of rehabilitation professionals and health centers. Training is also organized for health professionals in order to improve the interdisciplinarity of care and to raise awareness of the benefits of rehabilitation in the aftermath of a road accident.
