Funding Request: $3,801.06 CAD
Critical Need: CNKMP0125
Mwanahamisi is eight years old and the youngest of her parents’ four children. Her mother, Mnyazi, is the only breadwinner in the family and works as a small-scale farmer to provide for her four children.
When Mwanahamisi was two years old, she started showing some abnormal changes in her right eye. The condition worsened as time went on, and both eyes were constantly red, and her right eye was weeping. Her mother took her to a local hospital for a checkup and treatment. The doctors examined her and diagnosed a rare eye condition where her eye lid was growing on the white part of the eye sclera. This first doctor prescribed pain relievers and referred her to the nearest specialist eye centre.
But Mnyazi did not have the resources to pursue treatment. Mwanahamisi’s condition continued to deteriorate. When the Sisters of St. Joseph met her in 2023, her sensitivity to light was nearly intolerable. She misses class often because of her pain. Mnyazi approached many eye hospitals on her daughter’s behalf, fearing she might lose sight in her right eye. Mwanahamisi stays indoors much of the time and feels isolated from her friends.
The Mombasa site staff became aware of the family’s situation when they visited their home and enrolled Mwanahamisi and her sister, Sakina, for sponsorship. The staff immediately took Mwanahamisi to several hospitals and eventually secured a referral to a pediatric ophthalmologist and oculoplastic surgeon in Nairobi. The specialist has recommended lid reconstruction surgery to correct her condition.
Currently, the doctors are helping Mwanahamisi manage her pain, but Mnyazi is not able to afford the specialist surgery.
The Mombasa team has therefore requested a budget of $ to cover the lid reconstruction surgery in Nairobi. In the hospital, this budget will cover the surgery, tests, medication, and consultation charges. The funds will also enable the site to organize transport for Mwanahamisi and Mnyazi from Mombasa County to Nairobi, provide accommodation and meals, and also transport to the hospital for about one week.
DONATEPlease note that any donations that exceed the request will be used to fund other critical need emergencies that may arise.