Time for MAX is entirely dedicated to children with disabilities in the poorest places in the world. Our guest is program maker and presenter Eva Eikhout. She often talks with self-mockery about the obstacles she faces due to her physical disability and wants to inspire others with them. She travels to Indonesia for the Liliane Fund, where she meets children with disabilities.
Help children with disabilities to participate. Your support is indispensable! Donate directly via the website.
Not the right help
8 out of 10 children with disabilities live in the poorest parts of the world. Their disability is often discovered too late, meaning they do not receive the right help. While help in the first 5 years of life is crucial for their development. The sooner you intervene, the bigger the difference you can make for a child, according to the Liliane Fund.
Eva Eikhout knows this better than anyone. She was born on March 9, 1996 in perfect health with her limbs largely absent. Despite her physical disability, Eva has been able to develop well. This does not apply to the children she meets on the island of Flores in Indonesia.
Jefri (11) bullied and excluded
In Time for MAX including the story of eleven-year-old Jefri. He has paralysis in his right arm and leg, which means he cannot do many things independently. He is bullied a lot by the children in his neighborhood and, together with his mother Anas, has to deal with prejudice and exclusion. That saddens him a lot. Due to the great poverty and ignorance, Jefri was never helped. His mother dreams of a fair chance and an independent life for her son.
Support for Kolbi (3)
We also meet three-year-old Kolbi. She has brain damage, which makes her completely dependent on her mother Eka: she cannot sit up or stand upright on her own. She also cannot talk. For all these years, Eka has not known what is going on with her daughter and is at her wits’ end. Thanks to the Liliane Fund, Kolbi now receives the support she so desperately needs and Eka is learning how to best deal with her daughter.
Making a big difference with few resources
Jules Becher, pediatric rehabilitation doctor at Amsterdam UMC, has worked in Indonesia, among other places. He knows better than anyone how important it is to help a child with a disability in time: “There are a lot of things that you as a doctor cannot do anything about, but for the lives of children with a disability you can make a difference with few resources. make a very big difference.”
First children’s correspondent in the world
Tako Rietveld is the world’s first children’s correspondent. He spoke to children with disabilities in Cameroon and Rwanda for the Liliane Fund. Tako, who worked as a reporter for the NOS Jeugdjournaal for more than 10 years, has a disability herself. He was born with a shorter right arm.
About the Liliane Fund
The Liliane Fund supports children with disabilities in the poorest parts of the world. Their environment often does not give them a fair chance to develop fully, go to school and build an independent life. Together with organizations in Africa, Asia and Latin America, the Liliane Fund improves the quality of life and future opportunities of these children. There is no time to lose. Because the sooner a child receives tailor-made support, the greater the chance of a full life!
Help children with disabilities to participate. Your support is indispensable! Donate directly via the website.
This broadcast of Tijd voor MAX is made possible by the Liliane Fund.
(Photo: © Liliane Fonds)
