Fatmata is 33 and lives in Sierra Leone. She was born with cleft lip and palate, which were never treated as there were never the facilities in Sierra Leone to perform what is elsewhere quite routine surgery on babies. She was lucky to not be ostracised by her community, but coped into adulthood with severe difficulties with speech and with eating. She has two young children and much hope for the future.
In 2009 Fatmata came to the Holy Spirit Hospital at Makeni for treatment. At the time a team from Resurge was at the hospital, working with the staff and the Don Gnocchi Foundation to establish an embryonic reconstructive surgery service. Fatmata was put on a theatre list, and her cleft lip and palate was repaired.
Funding raised by Resurge Africa will help to put in place the training and facilities to help others like Fatmata to build better futures.
