Ali's Story

Ali joined Watsi on March 6th, 2017. Seven years ago, Ali joined our Universal Fund, supporting life-changing treatments for a new Watsi patient every month. Ali's most recent donation supported Na, a six-year-old boy from Thailand, to fund surgery for a fracture.

Impact

Ali has funded healthcare for 63 patients in 13 countries.

Patients funded by Ali

James is 13 years old teenager. He hails from Loseit, Longido district. James belongs to a midsized family comprising of both parents and four siblings, all of whom are being raised by their parents. James’ parents are farmers who rely on small-scale agriculture and livestock for sustenance. The family’s financial stability is often supplemented by selling cattle, providing the necessary funds to cover home expenses. Despite the family’s modest means, James is a dedicated student pursuing his primary education. In addition to his studies, he actively assists his siblings in cattle grazing activities at home. However, he faces a unique challenge as he was born with a congenital condition called clubfoot – his left foot is twisted inward. This condition makes walking uncomfortable for him, occasionally leading to school absences due to the pain associated with walking. Unfortunately, seeking medical treatment for James has been a challenge for his parents. Limited access to quality healthcare and financial constraints have hindered their ability to take him to a well-equipped hospital for the necessary treatment. Recognizing the severity of James’ condition, his father engaged with their village leader to address the issue. Together, they sought a solution to facilitate the required treatment for James. With contributions from his family, James, accompanied by the village leader, travelled to Arusha City in search of treatment. Fortunately, James's family traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, Kafika House. There, the team will begin clubfoot treatment on December 29th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $935 to fund James's clubfoot repair. After treatment, his mobility will improve significantly. James’s guardian says: “I hope this will make it easy for him to attend school and help his family. I also hope his parents will be at ease after he gets treatment.”

$935raised
Fully funded

Renatus is a seven-year-old boy in grade 1 from Tanzania. He is smart, charming, and enjoys playing with everyone he interacts with. Whenever engaged in conversation, he exudes confidence. Renatus is the younger child in a family of two siblings. His parents are farmers and livestock keepers, making every effort to provide for their family. However, inflation makes it challenging for them to meet all their needs. During his early growth stages, Renatus effortlessly went through crawling, standing, and beginning to walk. However, as time passed and he started walking more, his legs began to show signs of bowing. This concerned his mother, leading her to take him to the hospital for evaluation. The doctor advised starting him on calcium therapy, but unfortunately, the treatment proved ineffective. Consequently, the mother sought another medical opinion from various medical centers, but the condition continued to worsen as Renatus grew older, making it increasingly difficult and painful for him to walk. Renatus and parents traveled 6 hours to seek treatment. He was diagnosed with a wind-swept deformity, which affects both of his legs, leading to reduced stability while walking. He was also diagnosed with clubfoot of both feet, a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. These conditions cause difficulty in walking and wearing shoes. He has become less confident during playtime, as he frequently trips and falls. Our medical partner African Mission Healthcare (AMH) determined that the best course of action is corrective surgery to improve Renatus’s quality of life. Surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on August 2nd. AMH is requesting $935 to fund Renatus's clubfoot repair. After treatment, he will be able to walk and play easily. Renatus’s mother said, "I wish my son to have a good life ahead free from any defect. I hope this treatment will make it possible for him to have a good future.”

$935raised
Fully funded

David is a 17-year-old from Kenya. He is the oldest child of six, and his parents work on their neighbors' farms to provide income for the family's basic needs. Their home was constructed by volunteers and their church. David's family shared that they do not have national health insurance coverage and are requesting assistance for David's medical care. A few months after David was born, he started experiencing fevers and an increasing head circumference. David's family brought him to different hospitals for treatment, but his symptoms did not improve. When David was three, he was referred to our medical partner's hospital, where he was diagnosed with hydrocephalus and underwent shunt insertion surgery. Hydrocephalus is a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain and increases intracranial pressure. Everything was stable following David's surgery until last month when David began experiencing signs of shunt failure. David's doctor recommends EVT/CPC surgery to address the shunt failure as soon as possible. On March 16th, David will undergo surgery to drain the excess fluid from his brain and reduce intracranial pressure. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is requesting $720 to cover the surgery cost. With proper treatment, David can continue to develop into a strong, healthy young man. David's father said: "I do not feel well when he is not in good health because it makes it hard for us to leave him with anyone for us to work and provide for the family."

$720raised
Fully funded