A "House of Hope" for kids with birth defects in Africa

More than a hundred-thousand kids get born with birth defects each year. Especially in ressource deprived countries like Tanzania these kids die before even reaching the hospital or a doctor. In Haydom, Northern Tanzania, more than 6000 babies get born yearly, many of them with a defect of the spine, a Spina Bifida. An early surgery to close the defect initially safes the life of the newborn. A sneaky late death can occur after surgery due to infection, renal damage and increased cranial brain pressure by a blockage of drainage of cerebral water leading to head swelling and hydrocephalus. Only a life long follow up and further treatment of those children can prevent these late complications. 

A lack of availability of Folic Acid in Pregnancy leads to rapidly rising numbers of children affected. To maintain life safing surgeries and following treatment like continence management, physiotherapy and wound care it needs a new building and more space to host all of these kids and their mothers.

With your help we want to build a centre for kids with Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus in Haydom. It shall become a „House of Hope“ for kids and their families , where they can find shelter and further treatment after initial surgery. A place where parents can find support, get educated in post surgical care, life safing continence management and where caregivers can exchange experience and knowledge. The House of Hope will provide life long and life safing medical follow up for kids with Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus in Haydom. 

Give Hope to kids with Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus in Tansania and put down the first cornerstones for the new building with us. With your donation towards the „House of Hope“ you will improve medical care and ensure survival of these children born in Haydom.