Bahané, a 9-year-old girl, was born with a cleft lip and palate — a developmental abnormality in the baby’s oral cavity that results in a gap in the palate due to improper fusion of tissues.

Rejected because of this, Bahané and her mother Haïssemba, faced significant hardships. Sidelined for what was perceived as a curse, they have even suffered death threats. After two unsuccessful surgeries, Haïssemba heard about ALIMA and its partner organization in Maroua, Cameroon, the Association to Combat Violence against Women in the Far North (Association pour la Lutte contre les Violences faites aux Femmes dans l’Extrême Nord, ALVF-EN). For Haïssemba, this was the path of reconstruction for her daughter, so she could “look like all the young girls in the world”.

Bahamé and her mother, Haïssemba © Daniel Beloumou/ ALIMA

Incomprehension and Loneliness

“My name is Haïssemba, I am married, and the mother of nine children. I have also lost three. My husband’s name is Oumarou. We live with our children in Moriyo, a small village located over an hour from Maroua. We have a modest income, but we manage to feed ourselves and send all our children to school.

I am here with my nine-year-old daughter, Bahané, who is in primary school. I love all my children, but in recent years, she has been my greatest concern. Bahané was born with a malformation in her mouth. I was shocked. I had never seen or heard of anyone with this condition, and none of her siblings had it.
At first, my husband was very supportive, but over time, the pressure and advice from those around him ended up getting the better of him.

Some even asked him to kill us, because we were a curse to him. He refused to do so.

It was extremely difficult because my relatives rejected both my daughter and me because of her condition. They thought it was contagious, which deeply saddened and isolated me.
Despite the misunderstanding and deformity, I loved my daughter and knew I had to fight for her because she was just a baby. The advice and support from the medical staff really helped me.”

From Failure to Failure

“At first, it was really complicated. Bahané couldn’t breastfeed, she didn’t eat and lost weight. Her condition made me very sad. She underwent two operations, both of which ended in failure. I had to sell my field and my three oxen to cover the costs, but the malformation wasn’t repaired, and Bahané was still in pain.

For a little over two years, I have been working with women in my community on an agricultural project set up by people working for ALVF-EN. This is how I got involved with the association. Last year, when the campaign to repair malformations was launched, I didn’t hesitate for a moment. I asked if Bahané could benefit from it, and the answer was positive. My biggest wish has always been for my daughter to look like every other girl in the world.”

The Light at the End of the Tunnel

“Despite the meetings, free services, appointments, and preparations for the operation, I was nervous. The two previous surgeries had failed, and a third would have been devastating. I was stressed all the time. Two days before the operation, I stopped eating, and on the day of the surgery, which was carried out at the regional hospital in Maroua, a doctor took care of me because I was feeling very unwell.

I managed to calm down after the surgery when I noticed that Bahané was finally breathing normally. Like her, I felt liberated after eight years of suffering. Today, she is cured.

Haïssemba

She eats normally, food no longer comes out of her nose, and her breathing is normal. My daughter and I are moving forward. We have forgiven those around us, the families, and all the people who wanted us dead.”

Bahamé, 9 years old, victim of cleft lip and palate © Daniel Beloumou/ ALIMA

Joy Again

“Today, I try to give back what I received. Whenever possible, I visit schools, and hospitals, as well as attend meetings and seminars, etc. Sometimes, I bring Bahané along to raise awareness about this condition.

I sometimes show before and after pictures of my daughter, because some people don’t believe me.

Haïssemba

I learned that three children born with this malformation had died because their parents hid the condition and couldn’t feed them properly.

I still cry when I look at Bahané because it reminds me how far we’ve come together. This makes me both sad and proud because we have come a long way. This third attempt was our last hope and we were right to believe in it.”

Malformations such as cleft lip and palate must be treated urgently because the patient’s survival is at stake. Thanks to the support of the Crisis Center and the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, ALIMA and ALVF, in partnership with the Maroua Regional Hospital in the Far North of the country, have provided quality surgical care to 32 children with cleft lip and palate and 57 women suffering from obstetric fistulas since 2023.

This support provided by ALIMA and ALVF is part of the project ” Medical-Surgical Assistance and Empowerment of Women and Children in the Far North Region, Affected by the Crises in the Lake Chad Basin”. Funded by the Crisis and Support Center (CDCS) of the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, this project ensures free access to medical and surgical care. It includes the management of cases of obstetric fistula (OF), sexual violence (SV), cleft lip and palate (CLP) in children, cervical cancer screening (CC), and the management of precancerous lesions in women.

Cover picture © Daniel Beloumou/ ALIMA