Life-changing healthcare for children in Niger
Since 1996, CURE International has provided life-changing medical support to children with treatable disabilities in under-served countries. Their mission of “healing the sick and proclaiming the kingdom of God,” is the same one that Jesus gave His disciples in Luke 9:2. Located in Niamey, Niger, the country with the world’s highest birthrate, CURE Hôpital des Enfants au Niger has grown each year since it began in 2010. For many Nigerien children, acquired injuries or congenital disabilities go untreated, or families might pour all their resources into unhelpful traditional medicine. Growing up with disabilities, these children are seen as burdens on their families, outcastes from the community.
With 12 clubfoot clinic sites and the ability to provide 800 to 1,000 surgical procedures per year, CURE is offering affordable treatment that is life changing for these children. Take CURE’s Clubfoot Program for instance. Clubfoot is one of the most common musculoskeletal birth defects worldwide. Children are born with their feet turned in or down, making it impossible to walk. Most are unfamiliar with Clubfoot in the US because it is usually treated before the child’s first steps. However, it can be a major disability for children who are born in areas like Niger where treatment options are limited. By treating Clubfoot and other disabilities, CURE Niger has built a reputation for outstanding pediatric orthopedic care. Dejected children, who were carried in or who hobbled through the entrance, leave CURE joyful, free, transformed. Children return home renewed because of the effective, affordable medical treatment they receive, but also because CURE Niger pairs physical healing with spiritual healing. CURE recognizes that in Niger’s culture, when a child is born with a disability or deformity, someone has to be blamed. Either the mother did something wrong, or the child was cursed. In a country that is 99% Muslim, the Spiritual Ministry team at CURE is helping children and their families understand that their disability is not their fault, and more importantly, that God loves them.
CURE Niger would like to continue growing to reach more children with this unique pairing of physical and spiritual healing. With increases in the numbers of procedures offered and kids enrolled comes the need for more space: additional physical therapy facilities, training and meeting rooms, an additional patient guesthouse, and more. But before CURE can make such advancements, they needed to address storm water management concerns on the site. They also needed a masterplan to help them effectively use the site. The EMI team’s work at CURE Niger will help them accomplish this growth in pursuit of their dual healing & proclaiming mission.
