Train Ethiopian midwives to identify babies with cleft lip and palate conditions, provide them with nutritional support and guidance to parents. This early help prepares babies for life-saving cleft surgery, giving them a chance to survive and thrive without stigma or disability.
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Cleft lip & palate affects 1 in 700 babies worldwide. While babies born with cleft in the UK receive early intervention, the situation in Ethiopia is very different - 5,500 are born with cleft each year causing health issues, speech problems, and social stigma. Before a child can have surgery, they must meet essential indicators — but at least 15% of the babies referred arrive malnourished due to feeding difficulties. Without intervention, 90% of untreated children don’t survive past 19 years.
Project Harar will train midwives to identify cleft conditions in newborns at birth and provide immediate support. Trained midwives will register affected babies and offer mothers feeding advice, counselling, supplementary formula milk, and specialist feeding bottles to help reduce malnutrition. This early care helps babies gain strength so they can access life-changing surgery, avert a disability and give more cleft children the chance to live healthy and inclusive lives free from stigma.
