Astur Ali

In October 2016 Astur’s parents filled an application form for her to join Hands of Love. After going through the selection process (home visits and interviews) she was among 52 children whose applications were successful and were schedule to start school in January 2017. But she would never start.

In November, she was taken to hospital for a routine vaccination. The visit turned out to be anything but routine. Two weeks after she developed an infection that by mid December had led to both sides profound hearing loss.

Although Astur couldn’t start school, we kept in touch with her and her family and have helped the family navigate through Kenyan public health system. Both her dad and mum have no education and being very religious were quick to attribute what had happened to the will of God. This attitude by the parents quickly frustrated our efforts to have the hospital take responsibility.

Hands of Love continues to support the family facilitating hospital visits and linking up the family with organisations that can help. But after two years they have resigned to themselves to their fate. It is easy to see that they (especially her mother) have never gotten over the initial emotions they had when Astur first lost her hearing. They worry their child will never regain her hearing and wonder what this means for her future.

Astur is a bright lovely child. Hearing loss is shaping her life in a way it does not have to. By donating just $1 a day, you can help us improve her situation. Doctors say that a cochlear implant can help regain her hearing but it is an option that is costly and her family cannot afford. Even if she doesn’t regain her hearing she needs to start schooling.