Temesgen - 7 Years Later
Temesgen is now 11 years old and walks proudly to school each morning with his younger sister. He laughs with friends, answers questions in class, and dreams about his future like any other child. But Temesgen’s journey to this moment was long, painful and filled with challenges that nearly overwhelmed his family.
Temesgen was born in 2015 at his local health centre after many years of his parents trying to have a baby. Temesgen’s birth was supposed to be the answer to a lifetime of prayers but when Temesgen was born with a cleft lip and palate, the joy quickly turned into shock and fear. “After waiting so many years to become a father, it was very painful for me to see my son born with his condition. I did not know what would happen to him or whether he would survive” Temesgen’s father told us.
From the very beginning, Temesgen faced serious feeding difficulties. He was unable to breastfeed properly, forcing the family to begin bottle feeding almost immediately. Even then, feeding took hours every day. Milk often came out through his nose because of the opening in his palate. Despite all the family’s efforts, he failed to gain weight and became sick frequently.
“He cried whenever we tried to feed him. Sometimes it took a very long time for him to drink only a small amount of milk. Watching him suffer was heartbreaking.”
Caring for Temesgen became a full-time responsibility for the family. Preparing meals, managing household responsibilities, and earning an income became increasingly difficult. The family visited hospital repeatedly searching for help. Medical expenses quickly became overwhelming. In desperation, they began selling household property and possessions to pay for treatment and transport costs.
Before surgery, Temesgen’s parents often feared taking their son into public places because of stigma and reactions from the community. People stared at their child’s face and sometimes asked painful questions. When Temesgen was five months old, the family heard about Project Harar, and desperate for help, they contacted us. For the first time in many months, the family felt hope again. “The staff reassured us that our child could be helped.” Temesgen’s father said. “That gave us strength and hope for the future.”
In November 2015, at 6 months old, Temesgen received life-changing cleft lip surgery. For the first time, his facial appearance began to change, bringing relief and happiness to the family. However, because of frequent illness and poor weight gain during early childhood, Temesgen was not strong enough to immediately undergo palate repair surgery. Feeding was still difficult and his family had to work to support his nutrition and health.
Finally, in 2019, at the age of 5, Temesgen underwent successful palate surgery and his transformation was remarkable.
Gradually, he became healthier, stronger, and more confident. He could eat better, suffered fewer illnesses, and began interacting more with other children.
Today, at 11 years old, Temesgen’s life has changed dramatically. He is now attending Grade 2 and can communicate much more clearly. He enjoys learning at school and spending time with his younger sister.
“When I hear him talking and laughing now. I feel very emotional. We remember the difficult years when we feared he might never speak normally or attend school like other children. Now, I can hear my son speak clearly and smile with confidence.”
For Temesgen’s family, the support they received did more than provide surgery. It restored hope, dignity, and a future they once believed impossible. Today Temesgen’s smile stands as a powerful reminder than timely access to cleft care can completely transform a child’s life.