In an extraordinary journey of compassion and care, Save a Child's Heart (SACH) proudly marks a momentous milestone: reaching its 70th country where we've provided life-saving heart procedures. With every new country added to its list, SACH strengthens the bonds of solidarity and demonstrates that love and healing are universal languages, fostering connections that know no boundaries.

"As we welcome two young hearts from Namibia into our care, we celebrate the milestone of saving children's lives from 70 countries! Every child we save is a testament to the power of compassion, collaboration, and the belief that healthcare should be a universal right. Being an Israeli organization, this achievement holds a special meaning. It exemplifies our commitment to transcending borders and differences, showing that love knows no boundaries. Together, we are not only mending little hearts but also building bridges of hope and healing across the world. Today, we're celebrating this amazing achievement and working towards reaching more countries and saving more lives!"

Simon Fisher, Executive Director, Save A Child's Heart

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Tanzanian Pediatric Cardiologist Dr. Godfrey Mbawala, who took part in the SACH training program in Israel in 2013, has moved to Namibia and turned to SACH asking us to help with two children with heart disease who needed lifesaving treatment.

"I am delighted that the two children from Namibia have undergone lifesaving heart treatment in Israel thanks to Save a Child's Heart. I trust that such humanitarian activities will further the relations between the people of Israel and the people of Namibia," Israeli Ambassador to Namibia Gershon Keidar.

Anna, or "Rose" as her mother calls her, is a calm and happy 1-year-old baby girl from Oshakati, a town in North Namibia. Anna has one older sister named Timey who is 8 years old. Anna and Timey are very close and love each other very much. Every day, Timey runs back from school just so she can see her little sister who she missed that day. Her mother, also named Anna, studied education and would like to be a teacher but is currently a secretary at a security company as the father is not in the picture. When Anna was 3 months old, her mother noticed she was breathing heavily and immediately took her to the hospital. From the hospital, they were referred to a pediatrician, then to a more distant hospital, and then to one of the only pediatric cardiologists in the country Dr. Godfrey Baltazar Mbawala. They had to travel a full day to the capital to see him. Dr. Mwabala was trained in Israel by SACH under Dr. Akiva Tamir. Anna was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect called Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD).

When they originally got the diagnosis, Dr. Mwabala told them the hole in her heart might close naturally. Anna took medication and he told them to come back for a follow-up. When Anna turned 1, he told them she would need surgery in order to survive and connected them with Save a Child's Heart.

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Anna's mom told us, "The fact that there was nothing I could do to help save my child was so disappointing, I had no hope. When we were connected with SACH, I was relieved. It feels so good to be in Israel now for treatment. It's difficult leaving my other children, especially as a single mother but I knew I needed to do whatever it took to save my baby's life."

Anna underwent a life-saving cardiac catheterization and while recovering in the children's home took her first steps!

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Emmerentia is a smart, friendly, and independent 5-year-old girl from Oshakati, a town in North Namibia. She has one younger brother who is 3, named Promise who she is very close with. Her mother, Joanna, is a maternity nurse who works around the clock to provide for her two children as she is a single mother. Joanna tells us she loves working in the maternity ward because she is around new life every day. This is also why Emmerentia's condition is so difficult for her. Since she works as a nurse, as soon as she noticed Emmerentia starting to have difficulty breathing and recurring fevers, she knew something was wrong. They immediately went to the clinic and the first doctor who listened to her heart with a stethoscope could suspect a heart defect. The doctor sent Emmerentia for further examinations where she was eventually diagnosed with a congenital heart defect called atrial septal defect (ASD). Emmerentia was connected to SACH by the same doctor as Anna was, Dr. Mbawala.

Joanna told us "At times I lost hope. When I found out about Save a Child's Heart I got my hope back. I feels relived that my daughter will get the life-saving care she needs."