Rosemary is five years old and the youngest of three children from Kenya. Her mother works as a domestic helper, while her father earns a living by carrying luggage for travelers. Rosemary has experienced health challenges since she was six months old. She was frequently in and out of hospitals, and she experienced significant developmental delays. Rosemary did not sit on her own until she was two years old and only began walking at the age of four. Her mother was finally relieved to see Rosemary slowly catching up with her peers. However, Rosemary has never been able to speak. Rosemary is now five years old and still cannot talk. Her mother had hoped that, just like her other milestones, speech would eventually come, but it never did.
This year, Rosemary was enrolled in school, believing that being around other children might encourage her to open up and begin talking. Unfortunately, there was no improvement. When Rosemary’s teachers raised concerns about her lack of progress in class, her mother started taking her to different hospitals. Due to financial constraints, her parents could not afford the scans and tests needed to determine what was wrong.
In November 2025, Rosemary was brought to our medical partner’s care center, AIC Kijabe Hospital, where she was finally diagnosed with hearing loss. She needs hearing aids, and our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,171 to raise money for hearing aids.
Rosemary’s mother says, “I hoped that joining school would help her begin to speak, but she is not progressing. It pains me to watch her peers move forward while she remains behind, unaware of how much the other children are learning.”