Deborah is a quiet six-year-old girl from Tanzania who likes singing and studying. Her father owns a small restaurant, and her mother is a small-scale farmer with one acre of land that supplies food for the six family members to eat.
When Deborah was five years old, her mother noticed that she was not swallowing food properly. She took Deborah to the hospital, where the doctor noted that her tonsils were infected and enlarged. The doctor recommended an operation—a tonsillectomy—to remove her tonsils.
Tonsils are soft tissues located in the back of the throat, and they are part of the immune system. They help to defend the body from harmful bacteria and viruses, but they sometimes become infected and enlarged, causing a sore throat, tender neck lymph nodes, fever, or difficulty breathing or swallowing.
Currently, Deborah is unable to swallow properly while eating because her throat is sore. She also experiences difficulty breathing and is unable to fully participate in some activities.
Deborah’s family has raised $49 of the $633 needed to pay for the tonsillectomy, which is scheduled for April 13. Funding for Deborah also pays for four days of hospital care, blood tests, and medicine.
After treatment, Deborah will be able to swallow properly, breathe normally, and participate in all activities fully.
“When Deborah gets the treatment, I will be very happy,” shares Deborah’s mother. “I would like her to study up to university and become a minister.”
