Canab is an 11-year-old girl who, despite her age, has never attended school. This is because she was born with bladder exstrophy, a rare condition that causes part of her bladder to be present outside of her body. As a result, Canab is urine incontinent. She endures constant social stigma, and has been totally shunned by her peers. There’s a real risk that, without treatment, Canab will never live a normal life.
Canab lives with her family in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia. Life in Somalia is not easy. The East African country has suffered more than two decades of conflict, famine, and terrorism. It’s difficult to access basic services there, let alone the kind of specialty medical care that Canab needs.
Using their entire savings, Canab’s parents traveled with their daughter to neighboring Ethiopia, where they heard there was a hospital that could treat her. The family arrived at African Mission Healthcare Foundation’s facility without any money left, even for food.
We need to send AMHF $1000 so they can cover the cost of Canab’s operation, as well as provide a room and food for her and her parents until she’s recovered. With surgery to close her bladder, Canab’s doctors say she will be at decreased risk for infection, and able to live a life free from social stigma.