We have heard of many diseases. Heart diseases, neurological diseases, cancer and many more. What could be fatal than these? But the world is full of more bizarre diseases. Here, we are talking about one such case of a girl who lived in a bowl. Strange, but yes Rahma Haruna, a girl from Kano, Nigeria, who was born as a healthy child but her body didn’t grow later on. She was forced to lead her life in a bowl in order to keep her upright. The girl died at 19 due to an illness.
When Rahma Haruna was born, she was born very healthy. It was very difficult for the family to even think that she would suffer from this big problem. Her mother Fadi while describing the whole scenario says, ” She was healthy for almost 6 six months from her birth. When She turned six months old, her body stopped to grow more. When she learned how to sit, it was the time when her situation began to worsen. She didn’t learn to crawl. Followed by a severe fever, it all happened. Firstly, her stomach pained. Then she was not able to use her hands and legs as the pain-stricken her more badly.”
But there is no denying the fact that Rahma’s family did their extreme bests to provide her with a better life. Even Rahma Haruna herself said, ” They help me a lot. They give me anything I need.”
Rahma’s family used to transport her to a plastic bowl around the village. She was a very happy girl despite all these problems. Her whole family admired her a lot. But being a sibling, she was specifically more close to her 10 years old, brother, Fahad. Fahad describes that he helped his sister in many ways. He took her out every day carrying her in a plastic bowl. Bathing her was another chore for him. He says, ” he always felt very happy whenever she was helped by other people.” He used to take her to their relatives. Rahma felt very happy whenever she visited them.
The bad phase of Rahma Haruna’s condition is that Despite her family worked extremely hard to treat her, the government of Nigeria never intervened in the matter. The authorities never helped the family. Rahma’s father, Hussaini says, ” I have spent 15 years searching the cure for her situation. I farm, go to the market and lots more looking for money to pay her bills.” He further adds ‘I sold almost everything in my possession. Only the God knows the real amount of what I had spent.
Even the Doctors to whom Rahma was taken to, were baffled by her condition. Rahma’s family always tried to grab the attention of the Charity and medical specialist who could help their child’s daily pain. But really, they didn’t get much. Though Rahma received a very generous gift from a journalist Ibrahim Jirgi. Ibrahim gave her family a wheelchair which helped them a lot while carrying her around the village for alms.
Rahma Haruna died at 19. Photojournalist Sani Maikatanga confirmed the sad news on her Instagram portal. She posted her photo and wrote:
“Rahma Haruna, a 19 years old girl has passed away on Sunday 25th of December, 2016…May Almighty grant her Jannatul Firdausi…Ameen”. Rahma’s life is an inspiration for everyone. Beside leading so painful life, she had entrepreneurial ambition. She dreamt of opening her own grocery shop.
I thank God in everything I do. I want to start a business. A grocery store where people can buy anything, that is what I want.
-Rahma Haruna
