Our Mission
The Entoto Foundation is dedicated to helping Ethiopians gain access to medical care and treatment that is otherwise not available to them. With only 1 doctor for every 40,000 people, Ethiopians have very limited or no access to medical care that you or I would consider "basic." The money we raise helps pay for critical medical equipment, supplies, and medicine as well as the training of health care personnel in Ethiopia. When essential medical procedures or treatments are not available within Ethiopia, the Entoto Foundation provides funds and logistical support for patients to obtain health care abroad.
Meet Tadesse...
Tadesse is an 8-year-old boy born in Koftu. He lives with his mom, dad, younger sister, and younger brother. His dad has a 2nd grade education and supports his family by farming for other people. His mom has no education and helps support the family by making and selling ‘Tela’, a homebrew alcoholic beverage.
When he was three years old he was diagnosed with tuberculosis of the spine at the local hospital. He was successfully treated for TB, but the resulting spine deformity remained. Several years later, a neighbor who was being treated by Dr. Rick Hodes at Mother Teresa’s clinic suggested that he take his son there to meet him.
Dr. Hodes discovered that Tadesse’s bout with TB had left him with at least a 90-degree angle in his back that would certainly get worse without surgery. After a lot of hard work by Dr. Hodes and his staff, Tadesse has just returned from Ghana where he was under the care of a team of FOCOS (The Foundation of Orthopedics and Complex Spine) surgeons who repaired and straightened his spine.
The Entoto Foundation is grateful to our supporters who have enabled us to sponsor Tadesse’s surgery.