Children's Surgery International

02/26/2026

A shared smile, curious eyes, a moment of play at the hospital. 💛

These are some of the beautiful children our volunteers have met in Bahir Dar.

Every child deserves a future shaped by health, dignity, and opportunity.

Help CSI finish strong! ☕️ Our fundraiser with Stone Creek Coffee closes on Saturday, 2/14. Simply by ordering our exclusive-label coffee, you'll be helping increase access to life-changing pediatric surgical care worldwide. For every 12-oz bag purchased, CSI earns $5, and orders are shipped dir...

02/25/2026

Today marked a milestone.

ENT fellow Dr. Kassaw Ketemaw and CSI Academic Director Dr. Siva Chinnadurai completed an 8-hour total ear reconstruction—a first for Dr. Kassaw.

The surgery was a success, and because of it, this patient can now live free from stigma. This is what training, partnership, and collaboration make possible.

Congratulations, team! In total, 8 patients received surgery today from our volunteers and partners.

More to come in the two remaining days of this surgical training trip.


College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Bahir Dar University, Ethiopia.

02/24/2026

Day 2 of surgeries has ended!

The man in the dark gray scrubs is Eskinder, one of our longtime Taitu Tour and Travel Ethiopia interpreters. After years of helping families and CSI volunteers communicate with one another, today was the first time he witnessed a surgery.

Eskinder was deeply moved by the experience and our volunteers were happy to have him in the OR.

02/23/2026

Today, 10 children—ranging in age from just 3 months to 8 years—received free, life-changing surgery as our partners and volunteers worked side by side.

Some healing journeys take more than one surgery.

CSI medical records volunteer MaryJo Wagner shared an especially meaningful moment from the day—seeing Bezawit again.

“I first met Bezawit when she was just 6 months old, a fortunate add-on to our surgery schedule on my very first mission to Ethiopia in 2023. Her mother traveled more than six hours—by foot and by car—and patiently waited in the hospital for four days, hoping for a cancellation. As luck would have it, there was one. Today, Bezawit had her third successful surgery, and I couldn’t be happier for her.”

Great work today, team!


College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Bahir Dar University, Ethiopia.

02/23/2026

CSI is honored to be a MARCO Promos Difference Maker and to receive this $1,000 in-kind contribution!

Congratulations to Children's Surgery International for being this week’s Difference Maker winner!
They will receive $1000 worth of promo products to help promote their worthy cause!

Check in the comments to learn more about them!

02/22/2026

Yesterday, 80 patients were screened and 45 are scheduled for surgery in the week ahead. CSI Medical Records volunteer, Mary Jo Wagner shares that screening day holds both joy and difficult reality. Moments like 9-month-old Tadlo, smiling and giggling through his screening. Or seeing Biruk again — returning for his fourth surgery, greeting our team alongside his best friend.

And then there are the hardest moments: babies who arrive too undernourished for surgery, and the painful conversations that require families to wait.

But there is real hope. Because of years of training and partnership with College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Bahir Dar University, Ethiopia., fewer young children now need us for ENT care. CSI’s first fellow, Dr. Kassaw Ketemaw, and his local team are providing that care themselves.

As CSI Academic Director Dr. Siva Chinnadurai reflected: “[We are] now celebrating our first fellow nearing graduation. Ten years ago, Dr. Kassaw was a student in the back of a packed room on CSI’s first trip, watching his first cleft lip surgery and quietly deciding his path. Last year, he performed over 120 independent cleft operations. Now he’s teaching the next generation and helping build the systems that will sustain this work.”

02/21/2026

This month marks 10 years since our very first trip to Ethiopia. In addition to our long partnership with the Bahir Dar University, CSI is grateful for a decade of incredible partnership with Taitu Tour Ethiopia - they provide essential travel and logistics support, interpreters and so much more to make these trips possible! Hear from veteran partners and also our three newest team members, Alicia, Kara and Elizabeth. Today was screening day - always a busy and exciting kick-off to the week of transformative collaboration! Follow along this week and get to know some of our brave patients, their resilient families, our incredible Ethiopian colleagues and, of course, our dedicated CSI volunteers!

02/20/2026

Our Winter Newsletter is here!

Read reflections from CSI volunteer Emily Fox, RN, on her experience in Ethiopia, and learn the latest mission updates and program highlights.

Read and see the impact you’re part of:
https://childrenssurgeryintl.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Winter_Newsletter_2026-1.pdf

02/19/2026

For 10 years, Megan Sparks has served as CSI's Executive Director.

Whether she is navigating the high-stakes complexities of international logistics or sitting on a ward floor with a patient halfway across the world, Megan's commitment to CSI's mission never wavers.

Thank you and congratulations for a decade of leadership, Megan. We are fortunate to have you at the helm.

02/19/2026

Bright-eyed and ready to travel—this incredible team of CSI volunteers met at 4 a.m. and is on their way to Ethiopia for a week of surgical training, partnership, and collaboration. They'll be meeting with other team members along the way.
Safe travels!
Let’s go change lives! 💛✈️

02/06/2026

Help CSI finish strong! ☕️

Our fundraiser with Stone Creek Coffee closes on Saturday, 2/14. Simply by ordering our exclusive-label coffee, you'll be helping increase access to life-changing pediatric surgical care worldwide.

For every 12-oz bag purchased, CSI earns $5, and orders are shipped direct.

👉 Shop here: https://bit.ly/CSICoffee
IMPORTANT: You must put CSI2025 in the discount code box at checkout to ensure your purchase is counted.

01/31/2026

Incredibly proud of this team and this partnership!