Belta is three years old and the youngest of two from Uganda. Belta’s mother runs a kiosk where she sells vegetables and fruits. Her father does any casual job that comes by. Sometimes he can go days without work. Belta is playful and bubbly, even though she lives in silence. From the time she was two years old, her parents began to notice that something wasn’t right. Unlike her older sibling, Belta wasn’t responding to sounds or trying to speak. She only reacted when someone raised their voice unusually loudly.
Belta’s parents were advised to take her to a hospital for examination. She was taken to a nearby hospital, examined, and given some medications to use, but weeks passed without any change. Belta was referred to many hospitals and advised to take several tests, but her parents could not afford them.
Belta was referred to our medical partner’s care center, AIC Kijabe Hospital, where she was diagnosed with severe to profound hearing loss. She needs to be fitted with hearing aids to help her communicate better and reach developmental milestones. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, requests $1,171 for Belta’s care.
Belta’s father says, “After learning about the severity of Belta’s condition, we had sleepless nights trying to figure out the best solution. So far, we haven’t given up and we hope that doors will open.”