By New Life Home Trust | Project Leader
Baby Riah was born prematurely in a county hospital and her mother absconded from the hospital soon after delivery. Riah’s mother was caught by police and put on probation, but repeatedly abandoned Riah, making it clear that she was unable to care for her.
Baby Riah was subsequently admitted to New Life Home Trust from the county hospital. Upon admission, Riah was severely malnourished, still underweight, and very unhealthy. Once in our care, she was treated with intravenous fluids, bathed, fed, and given a safe space to get well without further exposure to preventable diseases.
Unfortunately, for a variety of reasons, infant abandonment in Kenya is still very common. Often when we receive new intakes they are in need of intense medical treatment. Part of caring for these babies includes daily bathing, feeding, and medical care, which necessarily require clean, safe water.
The Water Project estimates that “in developing countries, as much as 80% of illnesses are linked to poor water and sanitation conditions.” Additionally, “Nearly 1 out of every 5 deaths under the age of 5 worldwide is due to a water-related disease.” It would, therefore, be potentially devastating to administer medical care with untreated water.
As a registered Medical Care Centre, we are able to provide the life-saving treatments that abandoned infants often require. Using clean water means that our infants become healthy today and have fewer long-term medical costs from preventable diseases.
This means that we must have a reliable water source. This project ensures our ability to treat rescued infants with the quality care they deserve. In fact, according to the World Health Organization, “Every $1 invested in clean water can yield $4–$12 in economic returns.” Having a reliable source keeps our water supply flowing uninterrupted and prevents us from accruing further expenses because of dependence on an outside source.
By supporting our efforts to install these new water tanks in our Nairobi home, you are helping make this possible! With a capacity of 50 infants, our home is constantly in need of clean water. This project immediately impacts the children currently in our care, and the infants that we rescue in the future. That potentially impacts thousands of infants and the families they will one day become a part of; infants like Riah who would otherwise remain without a home, without the treatment they need, and without a future. Your support brings new life to once abandoned infants and allows them to thrive.
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