Even though Malaika is still unable to speak, she is able to make friends easily and always with a smile on her face! Malaika loves to wear dresses and dance to music in her free time, too. Malaika has a condition called an AV canal defect, where blood moves freely between the four chambers in the heart rather than passing normally from one chamber to the next. Children who have Down syndrome like Malaika often have this condition. Due to her condition, Malaika is often tired and out of breath, and she has not grown as quickly as she should. If Malaika does not receive surgery soon, her condition may turn fatal. Malaika's mother says, "We have traveled to the Dominican Republic three times to try to find surgery for Malaika, and I was almost ready to give up. I am very happy that we have finally found help for her." For $1500, we can fund Malaika's surgery so she can lead a healthy life without further complications!