Friends of Mohamed Launch Campaign
Friends organize a fund-raising campaign to purchase myoelectric hands for Mohamed Mara
Posted: Wednesday 8th July 2009 07:59 (Updated: Tuesday 21st July 2009 15:53)
The group, Friends of Mohamed, has raised over $24,000 of the $80,000 needed to purchase myoelectric hands for Mohamed Mara, who moved to Prince Edward Island in 2005, a survivor of civil war in Sierra Leone. At the launch of its campaign on June 17, Marie Burge announced that Murphy's Pharmacies, a major sponsor, had pledged $15,000.
Friends of Mohamed is raising funds for the purchase and long-term maintenance of myoelectric hands for Mohamed Mara. The initial cost of this is $80,000. Friends of Mohamed consists of ten interested people, including Mohamed, was established on March 11, 2009. The formal fund raising campaign was launched at a media conference on June 17 at the PEI Council of People with Disabilities in Charlottetown.
Civil war has ravaged Sierra Leone in West Africa. The war, fought for control of the diamond trade, resulted in the death of tens of thousands of women, men, and children. Rebels in that war committed unbelievable atrocities. Their trademark was to hack off the hands or feet of their victims.
During this civil war, rebel soldiers in a night ambush burnt to the ground Mohamed Mara’s small village, Panpanko, where he was born, raised and worked as a farmer. Many people, including Mohamed’s mother, father, and siblings, were massacred. Mohamed barely escaped with his life, only to be caught later by more rebels who brutally cut off his hands. Mohamed survived this unimaginable horror, found his uncle and family, and escaped with them to the neighbouring country of Guinea, eventually relocating to Canada early in 2005 as refugees.
Since settling on the Island Mohamed has worked with the staff at the Physical Medicine Department at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and has been fitted and trained in using cable-operated hooks to replace his hands. He has been doing many things to create a new life on PEI: obtaining an education, finding meaningful employment and being a productive member of society.
However, even with the cable-operated hooks, simple things in life for Mohamed can be a chore like opening a round doorknob or tying shoelaces. “I want my life to be changed. I want to feel complete and independent,” he explains.
For Mohamed this means getting myoelectric hands. These are electronic prostheses which resemble real hands in looks and in function. Myoelectric hands have more advanced movements than prosthetic hooks and they have the potential to allow Mohamed to find better jobs, to sustain a living and to be more independent. Cathy Ronahan, one of the founders of Friends of Mohamed, says, “The injustice of war and hate took Mohamed’s hands, but love and social justice will replace them”.
At the formal launch of the Friends of Mohamed Campaign, the group had the following good news message from Ray Murphy: "Murphy’s Pharmacies has been committed to the communities of Prince Edward Island since we opened in 1981. However, we realize that we cannot forget the needs of the global community at large. With this in mind, Murphy’s Pharmacies through the support of our dedicated employees and loyal customers are proud to join forces with the Friends of Mohamed. In order to jumpstart this group’s fundraising campaign Murphy’s Pharmacies is pledging the sum of $15000.00, which will be raised through various fundraising efforts. Murphy’s Pharmacies and our staff will be working hard with The Friends of Mohamed in their efforts to raise the substantial funds required to purchase Myoelectric Hands for Mohamed Mara. Help us to right a wrong, and give Mohamed back his hands and his independence.”
Donations may be sent to Friends of Mohamed, 81 Prince St, Charlottetown, PE C1A 4R3. If it's a cheque, please make it payable to the P.E.I. Council of People With Disabilities, and put "Friends of Mohamed" in the memo line. You will receive a receipt for tax purposes, in the mail.