Biftu’s New Beginning
In Biftu’s town she was known for her warm smile and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee from her roadside coffee stall. She worked hard to support her family, serving travellers and neighbours who stopped by for a cup of coffee and a chat. Her business was not just income for her family but the foundation of their survival.
However, everything changed when Biftu’s daughter was born. Instead of the joy she had imagined, Biftu was shocked to see that her child had been born with a cleft lip. She did not know what had caused the condition or whether it could be treated. Her worries grew fearing how her community would react and dreaded taking her baby to her roadside stand.
“I was afraid people would stare at my baby or laugh at her. I could not bear the thought of hearing hurtful words.”
Unable to face the public with her newborn child, Biftu stopped working and the coffee stall that had supported her family for years remained closed. With no income coming in, life became increasingly difficult. The emotional burden of caring for her child was compounded by the struggle to provide for her family. For months, Biftu lived with uncertainty and worry about what the future would hold for her daughter.
Then, hope arrived. Through the support of Project Harar, Biftu learned that her daughter could receive life-changing surgery free of charge.
For the first time since her daughter’s birth, she felt a sense of possibility.
At just four months old, Biftu’s daughter underwent successful cleft lip surgery. When Biftu saw her daughter’s repaired smile for the first time, she was overcome with emotion; “The day I saw my baby’s face after surgery was the happiest day of my life. I cried tears of joy. I finally saw hope for her future.“ Today, Biftu’s daughter is thriving, and Biftu has regained the confidence she had lost. She has reopened her roadside coffee business and once again provides for her family.
For Biftu, the surgery changed much more than her daughter’s appearance. It restored her dignity, her livelihood and her belief that her child can grow up with the same opportunities as any other child.
The transformation was made possible through the generosity of donors who may never meet Biftu or her daughter, yet whose compassion has forever changed the course of their lives. Their support turned fear into hope, isolation into confidence, and uncertainty into a future filled with possibility.
Today, when Biftu serves coffee to customers passing her stall, she holds her daughter close, knowing that a brighter future now lies ahead for them both.