by Jenna Mulandi
Blessings Aubrey, a bright 7-year-old from Mchemera village in Lilongwe, Malawi, dreams of one day becoming a soldier in the Malawi army. He loves school, football, and playing with friends—but recently, his joy was interrupted by a growing pain in his abdomen. What his family had thought was a birthmark turned out to be an umbilical hernia, requiring urgent surgery that his mother and grandmother could not afford.
Thanks to the SAFE Program, Blessings received the care he needed. He underwent a successful hernia repair at Nkhoma Hospital. From a boy too weak to smile upon admission, he was grinning widely by the time he was discharged—pain-free, playful, and full of life.
“Blessings woke up excited; he even went out to play on the swings,” his mother shared. “We are so grateful. I believe his concentration in school will now improve. Thank you to the SAFE Program and all the hospital staff for helping us treat Blessings.”
With continued support, children like Blessings can heal—and return to dreaming big.