Our Story & Mission

The Story Behind the Foundation

Sabrina's Story

Sabrina came into the world on October 6, 2009 — premature, small, and already fighting harder than any newborn should have to. Her birth was a miracle in itself. Her mother Rehema had endured three miscarriages over the years before Sabrina arrived, making this tiny girl the answer to years of grief and longing. The joy was overwhelming. It did not last long.

Within weeks, Rehema noticed that Sabrina did not seem to react to visual stimuli. At three months old, the diagnosis came: Sabrina was blind. Then, shortly after, the deeper blow — she had Sickle Cell Disease. The doctors confirmed that both Rehema and her husband carried the sickle cell trait, a fact neither had known. The once-joyful atmosphere at home was replaced by a heavy silence as the family tried to comprehend what lay ahead.

Then, at just nine months old, Sabrina had her first stroke. Her tiny blood vessels — already fragile from sickle cell — gave way without warning. Rehema rushed her to the nearest hospital, was immediately referred to Muhimbili National Hospital, and stood by helplessly as doctors confirmed the worst. The child who had only just begun to laugh was now surrounded by machines. Rehema sat in that hospital room and held on.

What followed were years of relentless, grinding care. Physiotherapy five days a week — both at Muhimbili and the Comprehensive Community-Based Rehabilitation In Tanzania (CCBRT). Routine check-ups every three months. Then, at age six, a second stroke. In March 2021, Sabrina's blood count dropped to a dangerous low, requiring an emergency transfusion. Each crisis arrived without warning. Each one demanded everything Rehema had — and then some.

Through all of it, Rehema fought largely alone. Her husband refused to engage with Sabrina's care. Rehema turned to a relative, who helped. She turned to a caring aunt, who provided health insurance that became a lifeline. The formal system offered little. Her marriage offered less. She carried it anyway.

The financial and emotional weight was immense. Medical expenses, hospital stays, physiotherapy sessions, and specialised equipment drained the family's resources constantly. Rehema made difficult choices — regularly sacrificing her own needs to keep Sabrina cared for. Sleep became a luxury. Despair was never far. But she did not stop.

Today, Sabrina attends preschool in Dar es Salaam. She has made friends. Her laughter fills the house. She continues physiotherapy at the Salt Centre in Makabe and is moving forward, one session at a time. Her story is not one of tragedy — it is one of survival, fought for by a mother whose love refused every obstacle placed in front of it.

But Sabrina is not alone. Across Tanzania, children are suffering strokes caused by Sickle Cell Disease that go unrecognised, undiagnosed, and untreated. Families are navigating this in silence — without resources, without community, without hope. The Sabrina Foundation was established so that changes.