Ayale’s New Beginning
When Ayale’s mother gave birth to her son, at a hospital in Oromia region she expected to experience the joy that every mother feels when meeting her newborn child for the first time. However, Ayale, her third child, was born with both a cleft lip and cleft palate.
Although she had safely delivered her child by caesarean section, the shock of seeing her baby born with a cleft condition left her devastated.
Because of his cleft palate, Ayale was unable to feed properly. He struggled to drink milk and became weak very quickly. Within a short time, he became seriously ill and had to be taken back to hospital, where he remained for two weeks receiving treatment for infection.
“All I could think about were the things people say about mothers who give birth to children like this. I did not know what had happened or why. I was afraid I would lose him.”
Before Ayale’s birth, his mother and father jointly earned money for the family and carried out household chores. But now her days and nights revolved entirely around caring for her son. Feeding him took a long time and required constant attention.
Frequent illness meant repeated trips for treatment and additional expenses. The family spent much of their limited income on milk, medicines, and transport costs; financial pressure mounted. At the same time, the family faced stigma and discrimination within the community.
“I felt ashamed and isolated. Sometimes I cried alone. I kept asking myself why this had happened to my child.”
However, after hearing about Ayale from relatives in the community, a Health Extension Worker visited the family and explained that cleft conditions were treatable and not caused by anything a parent has done.
It was through the Health Extension Worker that Ayale was put in touch with Project Harar who referred her to a health centre where one of our cleft programmes was taking place. It was here that Ayale’s mother realised there were other mothers with babies like hers';
“For the first time, I realised I was not alone.”
Through Project Harar, Ayale’s mother received counselling, feeding guidance, specialised feeding bottles, and nutritional support. She learned practical techniques for feeding a baby with a cleft palate and received encouragement from healthcare workers and other mothers facing similar challenges. Gradually, Ayale’s health began to improve. As his feeding improved, he started gaining weight. His illnesses became less frequent, and the family spent less money on treatment. Ayale’s mother shared with us; ‘My husband also became hopeful, we could see our son becoming stronger every month.’
In April 2026, Ayale was referred for cleft lip surgery, and for his mother, seeing her son’s face after surgery was an emotional experience she will never forget.
“When I saw him after the operation, I cried. But this time they were tears of happiness.”
Today, Ayale is healthier, stronger, and has a much brighter future ahead of him. The family continues to receive support as he grows and prepares for future treatment. Ayale is now waiting for palate surgery, the next important step in his treatment.
Ayale’s story demonstrates how early identification, feeding support, parental counselling, and access to life-changing surgery can transform the future of a child born with a cleft condition. Ayale said to us “I have no words to thank Project Harar. My son’s face is restored, and so is our hope. They helped me believe in my child again.”
