News

In May 2019 we were happy and grateful to receive the first grant: The apoBank Foundation from Düsseldorf supported our Bangladesh project with over 7,500 euros. A new project application has now been approved. The apoBank Foundation is financing a contingent of surgeries with a volume of 9,000 euros. This time the grant will benefit cleft children in Bolivia, at our new project in Cochabamba.

All over the world, people suffer under disasters, war, hunger and medical issues. Every day the news from other countries reminds us how well off we are in comparison. Many people want to help and share a little of their good fortune with a donation. But are all aid organizations reputable? How do you recognize black sheep? The German Central Institute for Social Issues (DZI) provides answers and tips for donors.

Sifa has lived with her cleft palate for 16 years. When she was little, only her cleft lip was treated. Sifa unfortunately is no exception. We often see patients who have not received their palatal surgery. The suffering they experience is terrible. For babies, the open palate can even be life-threatening. Read here what the diagnosis of "cleft palate" means and why its closure is so important.

It is always a joy for when we are able to accompany "our" children beyond their operations and followup treatments to see what has become of them. With Sheyla from Bolivia this was possible. In early 2018, her cleft lip was closed, and in late 2018 the palate surgery took place. Sheyla celebrated her third birthday on August 11, 2020. And we were able to zoom in and sing her a birthday song. Read the full story, which has a surprising happy ending twist.

The little ray of sunshine in the picture is Matias. At the age of six months, Dr. Adolfo Mamani in La Paz, who heads one of our three Bolivian aid projects, gave him his first surgery and closes Matias' cleft lip. Matias' parents have great confidence in Dr. Mamani and his team and make an appointment for the palate surgery. But then Corona comes, with lockdown and a surgery freeze. Read here how Matia's story continues.

After long weeks under lockdown, our surgeons in Bangladesh can now finally work again. Little Abir is one of the first patients. Prof. Ahmed, one of our four surgeons in Bangladesh, closed his cleft lip last year. Abir's cleft palate operation was still pending when the lockdown went into place. Abir's parents are happy that the operation could now finally take place, despite the Corona epidemic - a ray of hope.

Women in Pakistan face many problems. They hardly play a role in the public sphere; unfortunately, many still do not have access to an advanced education and thus have a harder time in leading a self-determined life. We are therefore very happy that the situation in our Pakistan project is different. Prof. Ganatra relies on the support of women in his team and is actively committed to promoting the professional advancement of young women.

We are happy to announce the addition of a new partner in our project country Bolivia, the well-respected aid organization Ayninakuna. Ayninakuna's treatment concept was developed by the experienced surgeon Dr. Roberto Edmundo Rosa Ressini. Ayninakuna is committed to delivering sustainable and comprehensive help, as we are. In addition to the necessary surgical interventions, Ayninakuna also offers dentistry, orthodontics, NAM therapy and psychosocial care for the families.

In late February, shortly before the global lockdown, our Pakistani team under the direction of Prof. Ganatra carried out a major mission in the Pakistani province of Sindh. In Naushahro Feroze, 340 kilometers northeast of Karachi, our team treated 64 cleft patients, 60 of whom were children aged three months to 10 years. The families all come from the poorest of backgrounds and could never have afforded treatment for their children.

The parents of our cleft children are always full of gratitude. When their child is born with cleft, they often do not know what to make of the malformation, much less that it can be treated. And even if they do - most of our little patients come from the poorest of backgrounds. Their parents could never afford the operation. It is an unimaginable happiness for them to learn that their children can receive qualified treatment, and free of charge even. This wonderful, touching film from our Bolivian aid project captures these special moments of happiness.

This film, made for our Pakistani partner organization, the Al-Mustafa Welfare Societey, by the father of one of our patients, shows scenes from our work in Karachi. From here, our senior surgeon Prof. Ashraf Ganatra treats cleft children from poorest families. He operates the children from Karachi at the Al Mustafa Medical Center. In order to reach the many needy families living outside the city, he also regularly heads out to local provincial hospitals to treat cleft patients there.

As a baby, Dat fell victim to an unqualified surgery. Probably inexperienced doctors severed important arteries during his palate surgery in Vietnam. The result: a large hole in the palate that massively affects the boy's life. We brought him to Germany to get reconstructive surgery. An individual case that due to the financial and human cost must remain an exception. In this video, we want to draw attention to the risks of "safari surgery" as opposed to sustainable development aid.