Half a Million Children
One Pediatrician
One Hope: Esther
The little children suffer the most. Sankuru Province, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, is one of the poorest places on earth. Babies pay the steepest price for the poverty: 15% will never see their fifth birthday. It’s an infant mortality rate more than 70 times that in the United States.
Yet this terrible rate can be dramatically reduced — often for per-child amounts that would be considered pocket change in America. The Esther Fund, led by the only pediatrician for the province’s 500,000 children under five, is a unique opportunity to realize that dream. This is the story of that one extraordinary doctor
The Problem
In Sankuru Province, Democratic Republic of Congo, approximately 15% of children die before age five. Most of these deaths are preventable, occurring because of a lack of basic medications, vaccines, and simple care that costs just a few dollars.
“We can do more with less for those who need it most.”
— Dr. Paul Law — Wembo Nyama, Sankuru Province · 2024
15%
Why This Matters
Every child we serve is made in the image of God. Their lives have immeasurable value—and no child should die from preventable causes for lack of basic care.
Bridging the Health Gap with High-Impact Solutions
We utilize a scalable system across the Sankuru province to ensure every dollar reaches the children who need it most.
$10 Preventive Care
A small gift provides essential vaccinations, bed nets, Vitamin A, and deworming. This simple care prevents leading causes of mortality before they occur.
$150 Life-Saving Care
Delivers critical hospital care for a child in emergency need. Your support covers life-saving medicine, professional staffing, and specialized clinical oversight.
Why This Works
The Leadership of Dr. Paul Law
Led by Dr. Paul Law, a Johns Hopkins–trained physician living full-time in Sankuru, our approach merges world-class medical expertise with an intimate understanding of local challenges. By living where we serve, we bridge the gap between medicine and community trust.
Deep Local Roots
A full-time presence in Sankuru ensures that every intervention is culturally informed and sustainable.
Trusted Relationships
Years of collaboration with local health leaders have built a network of trust that accelerates life-saving care.
Field-Based Care
We don't just advise; we are on the ground, reaching children in areas where no paved roads exist.
Scale of the Mission
The Province
Province the Size of Ohio
Sankuru is a massive region with no paved roads or runways. Most areas are reached exclusively by foot or motorcycle, presenting unique logistical challenges for life-saving care.
The Reach
120,000 Births Annually
Serving a population of over 3 million people, including 500,000 children under the age of five. Every birth represents a life we must bridge to comprehensive healthcare solutions.
The Vision
Mortality to Less Than 1%
We are dedicated to reducing child mortality from 15% to less than 1%. Our scalable system across 16 Health Zones provides the groundwork for lasting change in children’s health.