This is Elijah, an orphaned 12 year old boy who now lives at the Smile Malawi Children's Centre in Malawi. He was unfortunately not well and was diagnosed as needing mitral valve replacement heart surgery. This is not possible in Malawi but we were very very fortunate to find help from the Chain of Hope charity in UK and their surgeons agreed to see Elijah in Mozambique in June 2009. 

Smile Malawi needs to raise some of the funding and pay travel costs for Elijah and a carer. I am sure many Smile Malawi supporters will be willing to give a one-off donation towards these costs and could perhaps ask friends and family to help as well.

I have set up this special page as donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It’s also the most efficient way to sponsor Elijah's operation as Smile Malawi gets your money faster and, if you’re a UK taxpayer, Justgiving makes sure 25% in Gift Aid, plus a 3% supplement, are added to your donation.

So please please help give Elijah a future and sponsor his operation now!

UPDATE NEWS:

We have been in Maputo Mozambique and Elijah was safely admitted into the Maputo Heart Institute. It is a lovely hospital and the staff are wonderful. The team of UK surgeons arrived on Sunday 7 June and Elijah was operated on the next day. The surgery was totally successful and Elijah flies back to Malawi on 27 June. Maputo was a surprising place and very expensive so please keep the donations coming in. Thank you to everyone for your support! Best regards Elspeth