Ishmamul Majid
Ishmamul's Story

Ishmamul joined Watsi on February 20th, 2015. 9 other people also joined Watsi on that day! Ishmamul's most recent donation traveled 8,200 miles to support Daudi, a tea and coffee farmer from Uganda, to heal from a recent burn.

Impact

Ishmamul has funded healthcare for 16 patients in 9 countries.

Patients funded by Ishmamul

Beatriz is four months old, and is the only child to her two young parents in Guatemala. She lives with her parents and her maternal grandparents in a house made of wood with a tin roof. Her mother works taking care of Beatriz, and her father searches for wood in the nearby forest, which he then chops up to sell to others in the market. Although both of them work hard to give Beatriz the best they can, they do not make enough money to buy formula--they typically make only $2-$3 per day, just enough to buy basic food and water. Beatriz has fallen into acute malnutrition due to her mother's lack of breast milk. Her mother has been trying to improve her production by taking herbs and other supplements, but they have not given her enough milk to help Beatriz grow. Her mother has tried to help her daughter to stop crying by giving her sugar water to calm her down. Being fed sugar water instead of formula has weakened her immune system, making her get sick often, and putting her at risk of starvation and seizures due to the lack of calories and electrolytes. Although Beatriz is dangerously sick, treatment is simple. By supplying Beatrix with formula and the mother with health education, she will finally receive the calories she needs to grow and thrive. One-on-one education with her mother will prepare Beatriz for when she needs to start eating solid food, as well as help her mother watch for further signs of malnutrition and other illness. Beatriz’s immune system will strengthen and she will grow up to be a healthy energetic baby, and her risk of seizure, starvation and death will be greatly reduced. Her mother says, "I want my daughter to grow. She is small now, but I know she wants to grow."

$1,016raised
Fully funded

Kimberly is a one-year-old baby girl who lives with her parents in Guatemala. Kimberly is acutely malnourished, meaning that her diet doesn’t contain the nutrients she needs to build a strong immune system or feel energetic and alert. Acute malnutrition also has serious long-term effects if not treated. “Over time mental and physical development is stunted, thus leading to developmental delays and preventing Kimberly from reaching her full potential,” explains our medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq (WK). “She will also be at increased risk of chronic diseases like hypertension and diabetes.” Kimberly’s mother is eager for her daughter to get better and tells WK, “I want to see my daughter grow up to be a teacher.” Although she says that her daughter has started eating solid food, “Kimberly’s appetite is low and she has not transitioned from exclusively breastfeeding to solid food very well.” Kimberly’s mother is eight months pregnant with her second child and hopes intervention can occur soon so that she can be fully present for Kimberly’s treatment. “Once the baby is born, more stresses (both time and economic) will be placed on Kimberly’s mother, and limit her ability to give Kimberly the attention and resources she needs to thrive,” WK explains. Due to these circumstances, Kimberly needs medical attention as soon as possible. With $535 in Watsi funding, Kimberly will receive micronutrient and food supplementation to improve her health and bolster her immune system. Kimberly’s mother will receive the resources and intensive nutrition education she needs to make healthy decisions about what to feed Kimberly, as well as her baby on the way. According to WK, with this regimen in place, “Kimberly will begin to recoup the height and weight she has lost, and over time her energy and ability to concentrate will improve.” They continue, “With treatment, we anticipate Kimberly will have the ability to go far.”

$535raised
Fully funded