April 1, 2022 Dear Friends, This month, we’re excited to introduce a new series featuring stories of the families whose lives have been changed by your support through our funding of and partnership with TAPCCO, an Ethiopian non-profit organization that provides free housing, transportation, counseling, medicine and testing, education, parental skill building, and other comprehensive financial and psychosocial supports to children in treatment and their parents/guardians in Addis Ababa, Jimma, and Gondar.

Meet Addisu Mulate and Beletu Addisu Addisu Mulate and his 15-year old daughter, Beletu, are from Sekota, a town in Northern Ethiopia nearly 500 miles from Addis Ababa. Beletu’s illness first presented with recurring pain in her left ear. When the pain continued to persist, Addisu brought her first to their local health center and then to Sekota Hospital, which misdiagnosed her condition as tuberculosis and prescribed pain medication. As months passed with no improvement, Beletu grew still weaker. She was then sent 200 miles away to a larger hospital in Dessie, where testing revealed that she had cancer. By this point, however, Addisu had depleted his savings; he was forced to turn to begging strangers for food and could not afford Beletu’s treatment. Several kind strangers learned of the family’s plight and connected Addisu via Facebook and YouTube to Aslan Board member, Dr. Meskerem Asresahegn, who facilitated their travel to Addis Ababa. Now unable to walk without her father’s help, Beletu was admitted for treatment to our partner Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital (TASH) and the family connected with TAPCCO. Beletu and Addisu soon moved into TAPCCO’s beautiful compound at Seba Dereja, where they have since received housing, medication, counseling, meals, and other supports they need free of cost.

Beletu is now able to walk and her pain is gone. In reflecting on their long journey, Addisu recalled the many times she was admitted for emergency services and how he had lost hope for his daughter. He shared: “That was the darkest time. But I have seen other children who were even weaker and getting better, so I now have much hope for Beletu. I thank all the people who helped me without knowing me, and I especially thank The Aslan Project and TAPCCO for such a noble cause.”

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The Aslan Project (EIN 45­5303190) is a tax ­exempt charity registered under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Financial reports are available upon request.