Emanuelle is till now (2006) the youngest inhabitant of the Hand in Hand community and brought to us a few days after her birth on the 21st Dec 2004. She was born on the 21st of December 2004 in St. Theresa Hospital in Nkoranza, a few hundred meters away from the Hand in Hand community. Her parents did not want her and made it clear to doctor and staff of the hospital that she would be deposited in the bush to die. Dr. Bosman brought the case to an emergency board meeting of the Hand in Hand Community and it was decided to let her live in the community.
Emanuelle has no arms or legs, but can hear and see and seems otherwise normal. During the day Emanuelle is cheerful and smiles but at night she can cry a lot. The caregiver of Emanuelle, Joyce, used to always carry her on her back. Now, in her second year, she likes to sit up, look around and she seems to really pensively observe what she sees. When she does not like something she vehemently shakes her head ‘no’. She can also form a few words and loves to float in the pool, first alone and carefully, now together with Lisa and others on a large rubber band, where they all sing with choirmaster Emanuel.