A 17 Year Old Riding On His Mother’s Back
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One Can Little Imagine the Scene
One can little imagine what it must be like for a mother to spend 17 years of her life carrying her child on her back everywhere she goes. Yet this is what happened to Afilo Mkwapatira’s mother. Afilo is 17 years old and comes from the Kuiza Village in the Dedza District * of central Malawi. He and his mother live within the jurisdiction of tribal chief Tambalo. Afilo has never been able to move about by himself, nor has he ever been able to speak.
Then through the assistance of the Free Wheelchair Mission in Irvine, California and the Malawi Project in Indianapolis, Indiana; Afilo was able to receive a wheelchair.
Even today Afilo cannot speak but his mother is able to speak for him. "Today is a day of deliverance. For the past 17 years I have carried Afilo on my back. I have been looking for this day to come to my life. God indeed has heard my crying and prayers. I will now be able to do work at home, and support my son and my other children."
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* The Dedza District of Malawi is the district or state just south of the capital of Lilongwe. It straddles the main highway through the nation, highway M-1 and is the home of the famous cave drawings that date back into the 1500’s. Its population in 2001 was 526,874. In 2008 the population is estimated to be 669,511. Like most of the countryside of Malawi there are almost no paved roads, no electricity, no telephones, scarce healthcare, and a struggling educational system. With an income of little more than $100.00 a year the population of the countryside can offer little help to the federal government in the way of tax revenue, and thus the federal government is helpless to be able to assist the village people in their basic needs. Although a federal governmental system is in place much of the governance of the village areas is still in the hands of the ancient tribal system of government.















notes how it appeares "the wheelchairs look like they are standing at attention." He and the Medical Director for the Malawi Project, Suzi Stephens are making an appraisal of supplies that will soon be making their way to the Kachere Orthopedic Rehabilitation Hospital in
Mavuto was born with both legs, and was able to walk until 1972. On the dreadful morning of 18th April 1972, Mavuto was crossing the road at the Mponela Trading Centre. A speeding car was approaching from the north. Unfortunately for Mavuto as he was trying to cross the road he stumbled and fell to the ground on the highway. The driver could not stop and he ran over Mavuto’s legs. From this accident he lost the use of both of his legs. From that moment onward Mavuto was destined to crawl on the ground like some sort of pitiful animal. 
On this day I was attracted to a small group of children near Madisi as my eyes stopped on a small boy pushing a dirty wheelchair. I pulled to the side of the road to talk to the children. I learned that the boy’s name is Fatsani Zawanje, and he is 8 years old. I learned that he was pushing the wheelchairs because one of the wheels was flat. He lived nearby so I went to talk with his mother since he was not in school, yet the school was only 2 km away. We then took the wheelchair for repairs.