One-month-old Josephat is the first born to his parents, who are both young and live in Tanzania. Josephat's mother stays at her mother-in-law’s home while his father labors on the family farm. “Even though Josephat has multiple deformities, he feeds well and he is a quiet baby when he is not wet, hungry, or hurting anywhere,” shares our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). Josephat was born with myelomeningocele, commonly known as spina bifida, a neural tube defect in which the bones of the spine do not completely form, resulting in a small sac of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) extending through an opening in the spine. Currently, Josephat’s opening on his lower back is leaking CSF, and he can easily contract infections. “Apart from the lesion on his lower back, Josephat also has other congenital abnormalities, such as an amniotic band on his right hand and unilateral clubfoot,” adds AMHF. Many babies with spina bifida also have too much cerebrospinal fluid in their heads, a condition called hydrocephalus. As this is true in Josephat’s case, he will need additional surgery to relieve intracranial pressure. For $1200, Josephat will undergo two surgeries. First, the lesion on his back will be closed, which will prevent further loss of CSF and protect him against infections. Secondly, surgeons will place a shunt to drain excessive fluids from Josephat’s brain, thereby treating his hydrocephalus. His mother hopes “that something can be done so that her son can grow up like other children, and even have the ability to walk.” These operations will give Josephat a chance to live a normal life.

“I hope the mass on the back of my daughter’s neck can be removed. I think once the mass is out, my baby will be able to grow normally. She will be strong and grow up to become an independent young lady,” says Riziki’s mother, Agnes. This is Riziki, a two-year-old girl from Tanzania who was born with a small lesion on the back of her neck. Over time, it has gotten larger, and Agnes worries that her daughter will not be able to develop properly. “Riziki is delaying in all of the developmental stages,” our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), tells us. “The mass on the back of her neck can rupture at any time and leak cerebral spinal fluid (CSF). It is life-threatening to have an open lesion and lose CSF.” Currently, Riziki’s mother works as a small-scale farmer. Her husband is looking for work in a neighboring country but has not returned home since before Riziki was born. Agnes cannot afford the cost of surgery, which is where we come in! $1,100 will fund the surgery to remove the mass on Riziki’s neck. “Riziki will have a better chance to grow normally and become independent,” explains AMHF.