Limra is thriving and speaking clearly

A hard beginning

When Limra was born, what should have been a joyful moment became a time of worry for her family. She was born with a cleft lip and palate, and her mother was overwhelmed by fear about what the future would hold.

One of the hardest moments came soon after the birth, when Limra's father struggled to understand what he had seen.

“He came, saw the baby, and became confused. He kept wondering how this condition could happen when he had never seen it in his family before.”

His reaction left Limra's mother feeling alone and unsupported just when she most needed reassurance, and the early days of motherhood were full of fear and anxiety. Yet she found strength. "I thank God who made me strong throughout the process," she says.

Care at CoRSU

At just three months old, Limra had surgery at CoRSU with support from Smile Train. Over time, both her cleft lip and her palate were repaired.

Throughout the journey, her mother received counselling and psychosocial support that helped her regain her confidence. The nutritionists supported her too, and she followed their advice carefully so that her daughter would recover well and grow healthy.

“I was taught by the nutritionists, and I followed their advice religiously. The psychosocial support I got really helped me. I managed to cope, I managed to love myself and my baby. The clinical psychologist really challenged us to just LOVE!”

Limra now

Today Limra is nearly three years old and full of life. She eats well, breathes well and speaks clearly. One of her mother's greatest joys is seeing her go to school, something she once feared might never happen.

“I saw the speech therapist at CoRSU who advised me to take my child to school. She is doing well. We can hear everything she says clearly. No major issues.”

As the last-born child in her family, Limra has become a symbol of resilience and renewed hope, and a reminder that cleft conditions can be treated successfully with timely care.