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Kundai Marunya Arts Correspondent
Prominent arts manager and graphic designer Ezekiel “Spice” Manjengenja is seeking US$10 000 to take his one-year-old daughter, Jewel), to India for medical assistance.

Jewel, twin to Ezekiel Jnr, was born with a hole in her heart in February last year.

Manjengenja, who runs the annual Disability Film Festival and also manages urban grooves singer Nox, said he hoped his daughter would heal in the first few weeks after birth. “My wife Munashe gave birth to our beautiful twins but unfortunately Jewel was born with a hole in the heart. The heart usually closes after a few days or months but it hasn’t closed after a year.

“At first we were so hopeful it would heal but then doctors are advising us to travel to India to a specialist heart surgery for Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA) Ligation at Artemis Health Institute,” he said. Local medical options are closed for Jewel as the surgery is considered very risky to infants in the absence of state-of-the-art equipment that is available in India and other developed countries.

“Jewel and her twin are the most important things to us. India is the cheapest option we have. If she does not get the operation her heart will give out and it will cause a heart failure,” said Manjengenja.

Artemis Health Institute is a state-of-the-art multi-super specialty hospital providing a depth of expertise in the complete spectrum of advanced medical and surgical interventions with a comprehensive mix of inpatient and outpatient services.

In his fund-raising efforts, Manjengenja has engaged social media in a crowd-funding initiative on Go Fund Me for the US$10 000 that will cover airfares, hospital stay and the surgery.

“If you have anything you can donate it would be much appreciated,” he said.

Donations can be sent to Ezekiel Manjengenja’s Ecocash number 0771647757 or his Steward Bank Kwame Nkrumah branch account number 1003639882.