ReachAnother Foundation

Treatment: For the first time in 2 years, we were able to go to Ethiopia and brought over 280 pounds of medical equipment with us, valued at $110,000. Unfortunately, our visit was cut short for safety reasons due to the civil unrest in the country, nevertheless, we were able to hold productive meetings with partners during the few days we were there. Despite the significant challenges posed by the COVID pandemic and the civil unrest, approximately 1200 children received Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus operations. This number is similar to 2020 and is a 50 decrease from 2019. It is a stark comment on the excess mortality of COVID. Our Sister Organization in Holland expanded their circular instrument project to repurpose Dutch surgical equipment that is being phased out because of EU regulations. Some 12,000 instruments were collected from 25 different Dutch hospitals refurbished and distributed to ReachAnother Centers of Excellence Hospitals in Ethiopia. Purchased a set of ETV Endoscopic Third Ventriculostomy equipment that allows surgery for hydrocephalus without the use of a shunt drain, thus saving complications and additional surgeries for shunt breakdown. Expanded our relationship with the Ethiopian government to include direct communication with the Mother Child Health Division of the Ethiopian ministry of Health. We continue to collaborate closely with the Medical Services Directorate of the Ministry of Health. Sent Dr. Duncan Henderson, newly graduated Neurosurgeon from the UK, on a month-long pediatric eurosurgery fellowship at Zewditu Hospital to work and teach. Dr. Duncan reported that the surgical care is very high quality.

Aftercare: One of our main tasks of 2021 was to implement the newly designed training course for SBH care teams. The first training was completed at Bahir Dar University in Bahir Dar in Northwestern Ethiopia in February 2021 and a second one concluded at Zewditu Memorial Hospital in Addis Ababa in August 2021. Thirty nurses were trained in total. We hired a full time SBH Team Coordinator at Zewditu Memorial Hospital to continue to build that patient-centered, mutildisciplinary team necessary to provide the best care possible for children born with necessary to provide the best care possible for children born with NTDS. We also identified a key partner at St. Peter's Hospital to take on the lead role of SBH Coordinator. Hundreds of children now have better care as a result. After the isolation of COVID we were able to celebrate the successes of 2021 with our supports with a spectacularly heartwarming evening for Ethiopia fundraising celebration. It also was a great joy to celebrate the achievement of Dr. Hagos Biluts, one of our Ethiopian original partners, who this year became the first full Professor of Neurosurgery. Stronger Together: Our partnership with ReachAnother Nederland is stronger than ever and more effective in execution of our mission in Ethiopia, and as a result, relationships with our Ethiopian friends are also stronger than ever. Our Board of Directors: Our committees are working well together and are more productive than ever. We improved our Finance and Oversight committee. Our Communication & Fundraising committee was a guiding light during the year of COVID, and their efforts kept our finances stable. We also want to celebrate the contributions of our staff: Executive Administrator Chloe Honaker Richon, Our Communications & Engagement Coordinator Ashley Mohni, and our Filmmaker, Anthropologist Leah Llewellyn. In summary: The year of COVID was challenging and generated new insights and strategies that moved ReachAnother forward. We thank our Ethiopian colleagues for their extraordinary commitment and dedication to our patients, and for their always upbeat attitudes. We are looking forward to meeting all of our supporters and all of our Ethiopian partners in person in 2022.