This campaign has now closed
Our project will provide vital life-changing treatment for children born with a cleft lip and palate in the poorest and most remote areas of Ethiopia. The programme will provide access to surgery, nutritional support and speech and language therapy for some of the most marginalised children.
Categories
Beneficiaries
Situation
Children born with a cleft lip and palate in the poorest and most remote areas of Ethiopia cannot access treatment for a cleft lip and palate, due to geographical and financial constraints. They will face physical developmental challenges, such as difficulties speaking and feeding, the latter can lead to malnutrition. These physical challenges are combined with social disadvantage. A cleft is a huge stigma in rural Ethiopia. Children often do not attend school or will have to have to drop out.
Solution
We identify and mobilise patients providing them with access to surgery from some of the most remote regions. We provide advice on diet and feeding to mothers with cleft babies to support their children as they grow, preventing long-term malnutrition. We provide patients with speech and language therapy enabling them to communicate - some for the first time. We train health workers to change the negative community perceptions of cleft to help children reintegrate socially and attend school.
