Ziporah is an active 12-year-old girl from the Democratic Republic of Congo. For the past two years, Ziporah has helped support her family by working as a maid in Uganda. Ziporah’s employer has helped fund her education, and she is currently in her fifth year of primary school. Her favorite subject is science, and she hopes to one day become a nurse. When she is not studying or working, Ziporah likes to skip rope and play netball and dodge ball with her classmates.
Recently, Ziporah developed a high fever and was tested for malaria, but the test results came back negative. When she was tested for a second time, her results came back positive for a strain of malaria called Plasmodium vivax, which is uncommon in southwestern Uganda. If left untreated, this strain of malaria can rapidly worsen and may cause painful spleen enlargement. Ziporah needs treatment to stop the progression of the disease.
Our medical partner, the Kellerman Foundation, is requesting $120 to fund Ziporah’s treatment, which will begin on May 10. Ziporah’s family has paid seven dollars to help cover the costs of her treatment. Ziporah looks forward to getting well so that she can return to school with her classmates when the new term begins.