Agnes was born with a cleft lip, a birth defect that occurs when a baby’s lip or mouth does not form properly. She was abandoned by her father and her mother was unable to find the right care for her.

It was a chance introduction to the CCBRT hospital in Tanzania’s commercial capital, Dar es Salaam, which specializes in disability rehabilitation, which led to her life-changing operation.

The international community is gathering at the United Nations in New York to discuss the challenges faced by women and girls like Agnes at meeting focusing on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

To read more about Agnes’ story and how other people with disabilities are being treated in Tanzania, click here: https://undp.shorthandstories.com/gef-sgp-changing-lives

CCBRT/Dieter Telemans