2024 Beit-CURE Children's Hospital of Malawi Annual Report
Orthopedic Clinical Officer
Dorice (left) and Theatre
Nurse-in-Charge Mwawi (right) work together in surgery.
PURPOSE
CURE provides world-class surgical care to the world’s most vulnerable children for the proclamation and demonstration of the gospel.
VISION
A world where children living with disabilities reach their full potential through God’s hope and healing.
MISSION
To heal the sick and proclaim the kingdom of God. — Luke 9:2
The numbers and statistics cited throughout this report reflect CURE’s Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24), which ran from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024.
The sight and sound of Timothy’s laughter was a highlight at CURE Malawi during his stay.
A LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Elly Chemey
It is with immense gratitude that I, along with CURE Malawi’s Board of Trustees and coworkers, present our FY24 annual report showcasing how, through God’s providence, we were able to impact the lives of thousands of vulnerable children from across Malawi and neighboring countries.
Guided by our inspiring FY24 theme, “Living life to the fullest” (John 10:10), we reached over 53,450 people with the gospel, with 18,300 of those expressing or reaffirming their faith in Christ. Despite being in the middle of a major construction and renovation project, the hospital safely performed 2,519 successful surgical procedures, compared to 2,516 in FY23.
With deep humility and profound gratitude to God, I share my final remarks as Executive Director of CURE Malawi before transitioning into the role of Director of Programs for the CURE network. We celebrate the hospital’s unwavering commitment to our vision: to heal the sick and proclaim the kingdom of God. Through this commitment and support for our generous donors, we empower families and communities to reach their full potential, all guided by our Christian faith.
Throughout the year, the Board, alongside CURE Malawi’s Leadership and Management Team
and coworkers, planned and executed successful community mobilization outreaches in eight districts, including Likoma Island. We pray and hope that, by God’s grace, we will mobilize patients from the remaining five districts in FY25, thereby covering all twenty-eight districts in Malawi in four years. It was a great privilege to witness and experience firsthand the stories of transformation and resilience in the communities we serve.
Recognizing CURE’s core value of intentional relationships, we continue to build on the success of this year’s fundraising dinner sponsored by First Capital Bank. We call on the corporate community to maintain their support for CURE’s mission, especially in this fragile and uncertain economic climate.
I extend my heartfelt appreciation to all who support our mission. Your resilience and generosity contributed significantly to our success in FY24. May God bless you all.
Sincerely,
Elly Chemey Former Executive Director Beit-CURE Children’s Hospital of Malawi
OVERVIEW FISCAL YEAR 2024
11,504
173,302 total since inception
471 1,473 total since inception HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS TRAINED
18,300 84,744 total since inception DECISIONS FOR CHRIST
53,450 PEOPLE REACHED WITH THE GOSPEL
251,908 total since inception
PROCEDURES 2,519 IN FY24
Niamey NIGER
Davao City PHILIPPINES
Addis Ababa ETHIOPIA
Mbale UGANDA
Lusaka ZAMBIA
Kijabe KENYA
Blantyre MALAWI
Bulawayo ZIMBABWE
OUR NETWORK
CURE Malawi is part of a Christian nonprofit organization that operates a global network of children’s hospitals pairing world-class surgical care and counseling to serve children and their families living with treatable disabilities.
MALAWI
Beit-CURE Children’s Hospital of Malawi
Mobile clinics by district in FY24
Likoma Island
Chiradzulu
Salima
Phalombe
Mchinji
Mulanje Zomba
Nkhata Bay
PARTNERING WITH WORLD VISION TO HELP MORE KIDS HEAL
CURE Malawi’s medical staff performs more than 2,500 life-changing reconstructive and orthopedic surgeries each year. However, close to 500,000 children with treatable disabilities—most of whom live far from the hospital or in hard-to-reach areas—still need care across the country.
To help identify more children in need, CURE Malawi has strategically partnered with local organization Tiyende Pamodzi Group. In addition, the hospital signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with World Vision International to transport children who have been identified as requiring treatment to CURE so they can access the care they desperately need but cannot afford.
“Since we started these partnerships, we’ve already seen 120 children transported by our partners to travel to our hospital to access care,” CURE Malawi’s then Executive Director, Elly Chemey, revealed at the time.
One beneficiary of this partnership is 11-yearold Shaviel, who was born with clubfoot, a condition that caused his foot to turn inward, making walking extremely difficult and excruciatingly painful.
Shaviel’s family learned about a mobile clinic CURE Malawi was holding close to their home. At the clinic, the medical team evaluated Shaviel and booked him for surgery. Then World Vision provided him and his mom, Rose, transportation to CURE Malawi, where our highly skilled doctors surgically corrected his clubfoot.
Today, Shaviel is healed and walking pain-free! He recently returned to school and has a promising future ahead of him.
top left: CURE Malawi’s former Executive Director, Elly Chemey, signs the MoU as WVI People and Culture Director, Debbie Phiri, looks on.
right: At CURE Malawi, Shaviel’s clubfoot was corrected—and his hope restored!
TRANSFORMING LIVES WITH A FUNDRAISING DINNER
Over 200 guests from across the Warm Heart of Africa participated in CURE Malawi’s first-annual fundraising dinner on 4 August 2023 at the Amaryllis Hotel in Blantyre.
Proceeds from this inaugural event will provide life-changing surgery for 70 children with treatable disabilities in the country.
CHANGING LIVES TOGETHER
The theme of this year’s fundraising dinner, sponsored by First Capital Bank of Malawi (FCB), was “Transforming Lives Together.” And thanks to the event, many lives will be greatly transformed. The dinner surpassed its fundraising goal of 105 million Malawi kwacha by 1 million.
Each patient’s treatment costs approximately 1.5 million Malawi kwacha, which covers surgery, medication, rehabilitation, mobility devices, and food for a child and their guardian while at the hospital (CURE Malawi provides five meals a day to patients and guardians).
Elly Chemey, CURE Malawi’s former Executive Director, thanked the guests for their donations. “You have supported children who would not have gone to school if they didn’t have transport to come and receive the life-transforming surgeries.”
CURE Malawi’s first-annual fundraising dinner surpassed its fundraising goal of 105 million Malawi kwacha by 1 million.
“YOUR COMPASSION HAS TRANSFORMED DREAMS INTO REALITY, ENABLING YOUNG HEARTS TO SOAR AND LITTLE FEET TO DANCE ONCE MORE.”
-- Mr. Hitesh Anadkat, Founder of First Capital Bank of Malawi
The dinner’s guest of honour was Mr. Hitesh Anadkat, FCB’s founder, who called for more support for CURE and highlighted the discrimination faced by people with disabilities. “We normally notice the physical disability and challenge a child faces. However, I believe mental pain is likely even more painful for them due to stigma, discrimination, and bullying by other children.”
TESTIMONY FROM CUREKID WINIFORE
One touching moment during the dinner was when former CURE patient Winifore gave his emotional testimony and received a standing ovation.
At a very young age, Winifore developed an infection in his left leg below his knee. His local hospital treated the visible signs of the infection without realizing it had spread to his bones. This complication caused Winifore’s lower leg to gradually turn outward and become bowed.
Thankfully, during one of CURE’s mobile clinics near Winifore’s home, our doctors shared that his bowed leg was correctable. With his guardian’s support, Winifore arrived at CURE Malawi for treatment and began the long, complicated process of surgery, healing, and rehabilitation.
By God’s grace, through the tireless and dedicated work of CURE Malawi’s compassionate medical staff, Winifore gradually healed, completed his rehabilitation, and returned home.
His testimony is a powerful example of the life-transforming work CURE does every day for children from all over the country, thanks to the faithful kindness of our supporters.
During the dinner, Mr. Anadkat thanked these partners for their generosity. “Your compassion has transformed dreams into reality, enabling young hearts to soar and little feet to dance once more.”
above: Because of his bowed leg, Winifore had difficulty walking.
right: After treatment at CURE, Winifore no longer walks with pain or complications.
CHITANI’S STORY: FROM LIVING IN SHAME TO WALKING WITH PRIDE
No one should have to dream of a life free from shame. No child should ever be told they are worth less than anyone else or they are an embarrassment to their family because of how they look. Unfortunately, this was Chitani’s story from childhood to adolescence.
The 13-year-old was born with bilateral clubfoot, where both his feet curved inward, making walking difficult. Besides the physical challenges that came with this disability, Chitani was mocked and ostracized his whole life because of his appearance.
“I want to wear shoes and run like everyone else. I want to be happy and free from shame,” Chitani shared before treatment. Despite the discrimination he faced from his peers, he still studied hard in school (mathematics and English are among his favourite subjects).
Chitani’s parents noticed his condition when he was a baby and sought treatment. Unfortunately, the long distance to the nearest health clinic and inadequate finances to pay for treatment stood in the way of his healing.
Chitani was born with clubfoot, a condition where his feet curve in on themselves.
DIVINE INTERVENTION THROWS A LIFELINE
Hopeless, Chitani’s family prepared him for a life defined by disability. However, God had different plans.
CURE Malawi soon held a mobile clinic in Chitani’s village, where doctors informed him and his family that they could correct his feet with surgery at no cost to them, thanks to the generosity of our donors.
For the first time, the family had hope. Chitani could envision wearing shoes, walking, and even running just like his peers.
THE BEGINNING OF A LIFE TRANSFORMED
Chitani’s family worked hard to find the means to travel with him to CURE so he could receive surgery. The cost of Chitani’s procedure, as well as the meals they received during their stay at the hospital, were all covered by CURE’s supporters.
“I do not blame my parents for not taking me to a hospital in town when I was a baby. I now see hope for me here at CURE, and I am happy I will be assisted,” Chitani said while in the middle of one of his favourite
“ --- Chitani NOW, I CAN WEAR SHOES AND WALK TO SCHOOL. I CAN PUT ON ALL KINDS OF SHOES—EVEN FLIP-FLOPS AND SLEEPERS.”
right:
A fully healed Chitani (front centre) poses alongside his family and CURE Malawi coworkers.
hobbies during his stay at the hospital— reading the gospel.
During his time at CURE, the hospital’s compassionate spiritual ministry team encouraged Chitani in his physical transformation by sharing the story of Jesus and teaching him that God loves and values him deeply. Consequently, he grew in his faith.
After successful life-changing surgery to correct his clubfoot, and some physiotherapy at the hospital, Chitani returned home to finish his healing journey.
CHITANI’S HEALING JOURNEY
CURE Malawi recently held a mobile clinic near Chitani’s village, so our team arranged to visit him at home, where they witnessed his amazing transformation.
“When I first arrived at CURE, I wasn’t able to put on shoes, walk, jump, run, or even play. But now, I can wear shoes and walk to school. I can put on all kinds of shoes—even flip-flops and sleepers,” he shared with a laugh.
Chitani’s transformation has changed how people perceive him and, hopefully, disabilities in general. “People [in my community] talk about me differently now. Previously, they talked negatively about my appearance. Now, they talk positively about how I’ve been healed.”
Chitani’s transformation journey is an inspiring story of how God’s work, through CURE, can help someone go from living in shame to walking with pride.
Chitani enjoyed reading the gospel throughout his stay at CURE Malawi.
FISCAL YEAR 2024
July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2024
BEIT-CURE CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL OF MALAWI INCOME
BEIT-CURE CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL OF MALAWI EXPENDITURES
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
John McGrath Chairperson
Elly Chemey Member
Alfred Mumba Legal Advisor & Member
Earnest Kioko Member
Dr. Chris Lavy Member
Prof. Nyengo Mkandawire Member
LEADERSHIP MANAGEMENT TEAM
Ezekiel Milelu Interim Executive Director & Finance & Administration Director
Chimwemwe Chimbatata Spiritual Director
Dr. Samuel Maina Medical Director
Tandulenji Zimba People & Culture Director
Susan Kampeni Nursing Service Director
Davie Simengwa Programs & Development Director
Tileke Banda Quality & Patient Safety Director
CURE Malawi staff gathered in front of the hospital
JOIN US
REFER A CHILD
CURE Malawi welcomes patient referrals. If you know of a child who could benefit from the services offered by CURE Malawi, please contact us or bring the child to our clinic during planned hours. Our contact information is listed on the back cover.
GIVE
All medical care is provided through the generous contribution of CURE donors, our nonprofit partners, and insurance programs. Children will be treated by our clinical team without charge or debt created. Please contact us if you are interested in sponsoring a child’s surgery or a mobile clinic.
PRAY
We believe that God alone is the source of changed lives and transformed communities. Please join us in asking for God’s healing for the children we serve.
Thank you for sharing in our mission to heal the sick and proclaim the kingdom of God!
