A young woman named Filda Akumu grew up in a small village in Uganda. When she was only 13 years old, she was abducted by a rebel army. For years, she witnessed horrible things.
When she finally escaped from her captors, she developed PTSD. PTSD or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder causes one to have traumatic flashbacks. She would have terrible nightmares.
Filda also became suicidal. People from her neighborhood would always judge her because she came from a rebel army. This meant that she had no one to talk to. She felt that no one was on her side.
Then something happened that has completely changed her life. A non-government project called Uganda’s Comfort Dog Project learned about her story. This organization matches service dogs to people who are in need. They provided Filda with one.
This practice was frowned upon in the beginning, but through the years, it has evolved. More and more people have recognized the benefits of having a dog. It all started with a man named Francis Oloyo.
The founder of the organization, Francis, was only 12 years old when he got blinded by a bomb blast in their village. Somehow, two dogs befriending him and have accompanied him throughout the years. That’s how he found out about the healing potentials of having a dog.
They have impacted him greatly and are now helping other people have the have impact on their lives. Filda is just one person who have experienced that impact.
According to her, if not for her dog, she would not be here today. Her dog has helped her recover from her traumatic past, and she would be forever grateful for that. She hopes that the project would grow and would help more people like her. She has also dedicated her life to serving in the project as her way of giving back.
Source BBC News via YouTube
