Our story is also the story of one courageous little boy, Molobalitié “Boi” Doumbia.  Boi’s Story tells how a chance encounter changed the lives of one extraordinary little boy and hundreds of people who he met and touched along his journey.  It is a story of courage, of compassion, and of the impact that one life can have on so many.

The story begins in Mali, in the village of Dagabo.  When Boi was four a small lump on his cheek began to grow.  Over the next few years the non-cancerous tumor continued to grow exponentially, dislocating his jaw and altering the bones of his face.  Boi’s parents spent what little money they had in search of medical treatment for their son, but no help could be found in Mali.

While Boi lived his life as if he were just an ordinary, happy little boy, his parents knew that soon he would no longer be able to eat or breathe.  His family and his community began to give up.  And then, they heard that doctors from America were in a village nearby. Boi’s uncle put him on the back of a motorcycle, and together they rode towards hope.

We are immeasurably grateful for the Village that came together to help Boi through his journey: Boi’s family in Dagabo, his US family in Kansas City, and countless friends many places in between. Most importantly, we are forever thankful to the incredibly talented team of medical professionals from the University of Kansas Medical Center that brilliantly collaborated in the operating room that fateful April day in 2008, and who to this day are Villagers that continue to provide ongoing medical care for Boi.

A ni ce kosebe – We thank you very much!