Jasmine is a shy seven-year-old girl from Tanzania who likes reading, drawing, and coloring. Since her father passed away in July 2016, her mother provides for them by selling fish in the local market. Jasmine and her mother live in her grandmother’s house.
When Jasmine was six months old, she began experiencing a cough, flu symptoms, and difficulty breathing. Her mother took her to two hospitals before bringing her to Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre (ALMC), our medical partner’s care center. At the first hospital, Jasmine received medication, but her condition did not improve. At the second hospital, she was misdiagnosed with pneumonia and received more medication and injections. When she did not start to feel better, her mother brought her to ALMC, where she was diagnosed with enlarged adenoids and tonsils.
Tonsils and adenoids are soft tissues similar to lymph nodes that are located in the back of the throat. As part of the immune system, they help to defend the body from harmful bacteria and viruses, but they are susceptible to infections themselves. When they are infected, they can cause a sore throat, tender neck lymph nodes, or fever. They often become enlarged, obstructing airways or pathways for breathing and swallowing.
The recommended treatment is a tonsillectomy to remove the enlarged and infected tonsils. Without treatment, Jasmine will continue to experience difficulty breathing, and she will be unable to attend school regularly. Unfortunately, Jasmine’s family is unable to afford the $633 treatment cost and has managed to raise only $50.
With financial help from Watsi, Jasmine is scheduled to undergo a tonsillectomy on April 6. Funding will pay for the operation, as well as four days in the hospital, blood tests, and medicine.
Her mother says, “I hope she will be a teacher one day.”
