Emily needs her cleft palate surgery. Help raise $3,000 today.

Amigos Internacionales • August 28, 2025
A poster for amigos mission in motion shows a girl holding a cup

Emily’s voice is waiting. Help fund her cleft palate surgery today.

Three-year-olds learn the world by tasting, laughing, and calling out names.  Akullu Emily does the same, but every meal hurts. Milk rushes into her nose.
 Food triggers coughing. Chest colds follow. Words come out thin and broken.  Her mother, Acipa Ritah, holds her close, wipes her face, and tries again.

Since birth, Emily has lived with an open palate.

 The opening begins at the hard palate and extends through the soft palate.  Dr. Paul Mulyamboga examined her and confirmed what her mother has seen.  Feeding is a struggle. Speech is unclear. Earwax blocks both ears.  Emily was alert during the exam. She had a mild fever and no weight loss. A cleft palate does more than change a smile. It blocks normal feeding.  Children lose suction. Food re-enters the nose. Aspiration risks rise.  Many develop frequent ear infections and hearing problems that slow learning.


Speech suffers because air escapes where tissue should seal sound. ASHAChildren's Health Surgery closes the gap and restores the barrier between mouth and nose.
 After repair, children swallow safely and grow stronger with each meal.  Hearing often improves because the palate can move and ventilate the middle ear.
 Speech becomes clearer with guided therapy once healing begins. SAGE JournalsPMCASHA


Families in low and middle income countries face the hardest road. Care exists, but cost and distance keep surgery out of reach. The global need remains high, and many children wait for basic treatment. FrontiersPMC  Emily’s mother has searched for help since the first cough and choke. She visited clinics, asked questions, and saved coins. Prices never moved. Today, there is a clear path forward. Our team stands ready to help. We can schedule Emily’s cleft palate repair as soon as we fund it.


Here is our plan for Emily.

 First, we complete preoperative labs and nutrition support.  We clear the impacted earwax and assess hearing.
 Next, a skilled surgical team repairs the palate under safe anesthesia.  We monitor for infection, manage pain, and teach feeding techniques.
 Finally, we arrange hearing checks and a speech therapy referral.  This pathway protects breathing, hearing, and language during the year ahead. PMCASHA


The cost to change Emily’s life is $3,000.
Your gift covers surgical supplies, anesthesia, hospital fees, medicines, and follow-up. It also supports transport, food, and recovery needs for Emily and her mother.
 Every dollar turns into something Emily can feel with the first painless swallow. You can give through Amigos Medical today.
 Note “Emily” with your gift so our team routes funds to her surgery.  Our medical camps in Uganda deliver free care to those who need it most.
 Your donation moves a date on the calendar from “someday” to “now.” amigosmedical.org

Acipa dreams of simple things.

 A clean meal. A bedtime story without fear of choking.
A little girl who speaks her name with strength and pride.
These are not luxuries. These are the first steps of a full life.


Please help us raise $3,000 for Emily’s cleft palate repair.


Give today. Share this story with a friend who cares.
Pray for Emily, for a safe surgery, and for a clear, bright voice. Learn more about our work and track progress on our medical page. amigosmedical.org

Give now. Restore Emily’s voice.


Give now. Share now.

Goal: $3,000 for Emily’s cleft palate surgery.  Donate through Amigos Medical. Share this post with a friend.  Stand with a mother who has never stopped trying. amigosmedical.org

Learn more about our medical work and camps here.  You will see how care reaches the most remote villages. amigosmedical.org

Thank you for helping Emily eat without pain.
Thank you for helping her speak her name clearly.
Thank you for bringing hope to this family today.

Child's mouth open, showing teeth and swollen tissue, being examined by gloved hands in a medical setting.

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