Malaga Couple Offers Home to Moroccan Girl Awaiting Heart Surgery

They have not yet met the young Moroccan girl, but they have already prepared a room for her and her mother. In Malaga, a couple in their sixties has agreed to host an eight-year-old girl who is due to undergo heart surgery at Materno Infantil Hospital. The announcement, reported on Wednesday, October 14, by the Spanish daily Diario Sur, ends several weeks of searching by the Infancia Solidaria association to ensure the child receives the care she needs.

The host family lives near the hospital where the young patient will have surgery. The husband works for Limasam, Malaga’s municipal cleaning company, while his wife is a school caretaker. Their children are now adults, and the couple has a room where the girl and her mother can stay in good conditions.

The two Spaniards were interviewed by Infancia Solidaria officials before their application was accepted. The association checks, among other things, families’ ability to host children, their financial circumstances and whether they have any history of sexual offenses.

Their commitment is expected to last about three months, during which the young Moroccan girl can have surgery and receive the necessary medical follow-up. The stay can be extended if her health requires it. Her mother will remain by her side throughout this period.

One final hurdle before leaving Morocco

The trip now needs to be arranged. According to Manuel Cano, Infancia Solidaria’s coordinator, the applications for visas for the mother and daughter are underway. Once the documents are issued, both are expected to travel to Malaga the following day. No specific date has yet been set for their arrival or the surgery.

The association issued an urgent appeal on September 19 to find families able to host two children in need of specialized care: the eight-year-old Moroccan girl and a 13-year-old Honduran teenager. Six families had expressed interest. By October 3, a first solution had been found for the young Honduran, but the Moroccan girl was still waiting.

The couple from Malaga has now helped her reach a crucial stage in her medical journey. This show of support recalls the story of Taha, a Moroccan child who was previously hosted and treated in Malaga, who had also benefited from the solidarity of a Spanish family for several months.

Infancia Solidaria is also preparing for the arrival of a one-year-old Mauritanian baby, who will be hosted by two retired doctors living in the Puerto de la Torre neighborhood. The couple had already opened their home to a Venezuelan girl two years earlier. For the young Moroccan girl, the next step is now obtaining the visas that will allow her to travel to Spain and receive care from doctors in Malaga.