Bringing Cheer to Sick Children in Tajikistan

For children everywhere, sickness is sad and hospital stays are scary. The Project HOPE Tajikistan team is helping to reduce this fear, bringing smiles and cheer to young patients who are being treated at TB hospitals in Tajikistan by providing donated toys and fun activities.

Tajikistan is a country with a high burden of TB. Unfortunately, many children are also affected by this infectious disease. Even though TB is curable, its treatment can take up to two years. Children are separated from their families and stay at a hospital to receive treatment. No matter how often their parents and family visit, the children can feel isolated and sometimes even hopeless.

For the second time in the past six months, Project HOPE employees held a toy drive, purchasing toys themselves and hosting a special luncheon on International Children’s Day on June 1, 2017 for 25 young patients at the Dushanbe TB Hospital.

Affection and caring provided by adults are
the critical elements that help children cope with this disease.

In addition to the toys and lunch, the Project HOPE staff organized games, and counseled children and parents on various aspects of TB care. The Project HOPE team also spent additional time with a child with an extensively resistant form of TB who was kept in isolation to prevent further spread of this disease among other patients and staff.

“After receiving the gifts, the kids were so excited – it was amazing to see joy on their faces. Thanks to Project HOPE, these children’s lives have become a little bit brighter and more hopeful,” said Umrinisso Sirojiddinova, a doctor at Dushanbe TB Hospital.

The toy drives have become a regular project for the Tajikistan office, where HOPE’s team recognizes that simple acts of kindness and amusement can make a big difference in helping youngsters feel more comfortable and in accelerating the healing process.

Zumrad Makhsumova, Project HOPE’s Country Director for USAID TB Control Program in Tajikistan added, “Affection and caring provided by adults are the critical elements that help children cope with this disease. We are very glad that we had this opportunity to make these children’s day a little bit brighter.”