Charity tech —built to save lives

Three-year-old Halima lives with her grandmother in Gashua. Her grandmother is a farmer earning about ₦4,000, which is used to provide food and meet their basic needs. Despite limited resources, she does her best to care for Halima. Halima was brought to the hospital seriously ill and diagnosed with severe cerebral malaria, a life-threatening form of malaria affecting the brain. She presented with high fever, severe weakness, reduced responsiveness, and episodes of convulsions. Her condition required urgent medical attention and close monitoring, as cerebral malaria can progress rapidly and cause unconsciousness, breathing difficulties, severe anaemia, low blood sugar, and other serious complications. Timely treatment was essential to control the infection, manage complications, and give Halima the best chance of recovery.

Md. Mahim is a 7-month-old cheerful infant who was previously well until he developed high fever for four days, leaving his mother, Mariyam, worried about his sudden change in condition. His father, Miraj Rari, is the sole earning member of the six-member family and works as a day laborer, earning only approximately USD 66–74 per month, which must support Mahim, his mother, younger sister, and grandparents. With such limited income, the family struggles to meet their daily needs and cannot afford the hospital and treatment expenses required for Mahim. He was diagnosed with typhoid fever during a seasonal outbreak in an area affected by shared toilets, poor hygiene, and limited access to safe drinking water; without timely treatment, the infection could worsen and lead to serious, potentially life-threatening complications in such a young infant. The family learned about Helpster Charity through miking, giving them hope of obtaining the medical care Mahim needs.

Minha Jannath is a 10-month-old girl from a financially disadvantaged family of five. Her father, Suhel Ahmed (23), works as an auto-rickshaw driver and earns approximately USD 49 per month, which is barely enough to meet their basic needs, making her medical expenses unaffordable. She developed constipation for three days and was diagnosed with sub-acute intestinal obstruction with oral candidiasis. She was referred from Seba Hospital for further management, and the family learned about Helpster Charity through a local community member. Minha previously received support under Helpster ID 8061; without timely treatment, her intestinal obstruction could worsen and lead to serious complications.

Ariba Akter Shifa is a 50-day-old infant who developed high fever, acute respiratory distress, and severe itching with rashes, requiring urgent medical care. Her father is physically disabled and unable to earn, while her mother, grandmother, and chronically ill grandfather also cannot contribute to the family income; the entire six-member household depends on her uncle, who earns only approximately USD 86 per month working at a scrap shop. With this very limited income and the family’s other household expenses, they cannot afford Ariba’s hospital treatment and medicines. Doctors diagnosed her with pneumonia and infected scabies, and without timely treatment, worsening respiratory distress and infection could lead to serious complications and potentially become life-threatening in such a young infant. The family learned about Helpster Charity through a Medical Officer at Deshbangla Hospital; Ariba’s mother had previously received free treatment through Helpster under Helpster ID 7039.

Seven-year-old Khadija is the second child in her family and lives in Gashua with her grandmother following the loss of her mother. Her father, Musa, works as a shoe shiner and earns about ₦4,300, making it difficult to meet the family’s basic needs. Khadija and her grandmother live in a small single-room house and struggle financially. Khadija was admitted to the hospital with severe malaria complicated by anaemia. She presented with high fever, weakness, poor appetite, dizziness, and marked tiredness. She was assessed and closely monitored and received parenteral artesunate and supportive care. Her haemoglobin level, vital signs, hydration, consciousness, and response to treatment were monitored, while the anaemia was managed according to its severity. Timely treatment was essential to prevent serious complications and support her recovery.

Torun Barmon is a 3-day-old cheerful and lovable baby boy and the first child of Ashes Barmon and his wife. He lives with his parents and grandparents in a five-member family, while his father is the only earning member and works as a day laborer to support the household. Torun developed high-grade fever, cough, cold, restlessness, and poor feeding and was admitted to City Clinic, where he was diagnosed with pneumonia. With the family already struggling to meet their basic needs, they cannot afford the ongoing cost of his medical treatment, while his grandparents are unable to work due to their age. Without timely treatment, his condition could worsen and cause serious breathing and feeding difficulties; the family learned about Helpster Charity through Sadika Rahman and is seeking support for his recovery.

Travian is a 10-month-old boy and the firstborn in his family. He lives with his mother in Bungoma but frequently returns to their rural home near Opar Shopping Centre due to the family's financial difficulties. His mother explained that both parents lack stable employment and depend on occasional casual jobs. At times, they have no food and go hungry. When in the village, they stay with Travian's grandmother and cousins. His grandmother, a peasant farmer, is the family's main source of support and relies on farm produce to feed the household. Travian became unwell two days before admission, developing recurrent high fever, frequent diarrhoea, vomiting, cough and refusal to feed. Paracetamol temporarily reduced the fever, but his condition progressively worsened. By the time he arrived at the hospital, he appeared very ill, weak and had difficulty breathing, requiring prompt medical attention. Travian's mother learnt about Helpster from a relative she was staying with, who advised her to bring the child to the hospital when his condition deteriorated.

Morine is a 12-year-old girl with special needs who comes from a financially disadvantaged family. Her parents separated when she was young, leaving her mother to care for Morine and her three siblings with very limited resources. Due to poverty, Morine has never had the opportunity to attend a special school suited to her needs. She is unable to speak and has developmental challenges, although she can perform several daily activities independently. Morine was brought to the facility by her mother, accompanied by a Community Health Promoter who knew about Helpster Charity. On presentation, she was visibly ill, weak and vomiting. For two days, she had been unable to feed normally and experienced persistent fever, chills, headache, dizziness and marked general body weakness. Her mother reported a significant change from her usual activity and behaviour. Clinical assessment and investigations confirmed severe malaria with gastritis. Given her poor oral intake, vomiting and significant systemic illness, she was admitted for urgent treatment, hydration and close monitoring.

One-year-old Usman Umar lives with his parents and seven siblings in a two-bedroom rented apartment. His father is a farmer who travels to other LGAs for work, while his mother is a homemaker. The family earns about ₦30,000 monthly, which barely covers food, water, and other basic needs. They also have no electricity at home, making daily life and schooling difficult for the children. Usman presented with four days of high-grade fever, frequent watery diarrhoea, cough, fast breathing, and poor feeding. He had experienced fever two weeks earlier and received incomplete treatment at home. Following medical assessment, he was diagnosed with severe malaria, acute watery diarrhoea with moderate dehydration, bronchopneumonia, and moderate anaemia. He requires prompt treatment and close monitoring to prevent serious complications.

Mark is the third-born in a family of five children. He lives with both parents and his siblings in a modest three-roomed mud-walled house without electricity. Both parents are peasant farmers who depend on small farm produce to provide food and meet the family's basic needs, making unexpected medical expenses difficult to manage. Mark's mother reported that he developed intermittent high fever accompanied by diarrhoea, repeated vomiting, poor appetite and refusal to feed. As his illness progressed, he became increasingly weak, irritable and less active than usual. He struggled to tolerate feeds and fluids, raising concern about dehydration and further deterioration. His mother initially gave him paracetamol syrup available at home, but his symptoms persisted and the fever became increasingly high. When his condition continued to worsen despite the medication, she became concerned and brought him to the hospital for proper assessment and treatment. The family had previously heard about Helpster Charity from a neighbour whose child's treatment at the same facility had been supported by the organization.

Three-year-old Hussaini Kabiru, a twin and the last of 12 children, lives with his parents and siblings in a single-room rented apartment costing ₦60,000 annually. His father sells onions on a small scale, while his mother sews caps. Together, they earn about ₦30,000 monthly, which is barely enough to meet the needs of their large family. They rely on a community borehole for water, and the children attend a local Islamiyya school. Hussaini presented with three days of high-grade fever with chills and three episodes of generalized convulsions, each lasting about two minutes with loss of consciousness. He also had frequent watery diarrhoea, vomiting, poor feeding, and excessive drowsiness. There was no history of trauma, cough, or difficulty breathing. He requires urgent medical care and close monitoring to prevent serious complications.

Suleiman is a 5-year-old boy from Amshi Village who has faced significant hardship from a young age. He lost his mother to illness and now lives under the care of his aunt. His father works as a Fadama farmer, earning approximately ₦5,000, which is barely enough to support the family’s basic needs. They live in a modest single-room mud house and struggle financially to meet everyday expenses, including healthcare. Despite these challenges, Suleiman has a strong ambition to become a doctor when he grows up so that he can help save vulnerable lives and support children and families facing difficulties like his own. His illness placed an additional financial burden on the family, making access to charitable medical support especially important.

Fifteen-year-old Muhammad is the firstborn of three children, a hardworking, ambitious boy from Gashua who dreams of becoming a soldier. His parents are petty traders earning about 5,000 naira together, barely enough for the family's basic needs in their modest two-bedroom home. Muhammad was admitted with severe malaria complicated by acute kidney injury, burning with high fever, severely weak, and passing dangerously little urine as his kidneys strained. Doctors stabilized him promptly with intravenous artesunate and carefully managed fluids to protect his kidneys, monitoring his kidney function, urine output, and blood pressure closely. Gradually, Muhammad fought back: his fever broke, his strength and appetite returned, and his kidneys recovered without further deterioration. He was discharged in stable condition, with follow-up planned to recheck his kidney function.

Four-year-old Ibrahim is the only son of his parents, living in a modest single-room mud house in Amshi Village. His father is a subsistence farmer and his mother sells yam from home, earning about 2,000 naira, an income that can barely meet the family's basic needs, let alone hospital bills. Ibrahim was brought to the hospital with severe malaria complicated by anaemia, burning with high fever, severely weak, feeding poorly, and barely active. In dire need of urgent treatment to prevent dangerous complications.

Paul is the younger of two children and lives with his parents and older sister in a two-room rented house costing KES 500 per month. Both parents left school before completing their education; his father reached Class Six and his mother Form Three. They depend on irregular casual labour to meet the family’s basic needs. About two months ago, his mother noticed significant weight loss, recurrent fever, poor appetite and delayed development compared with his older sibling, who had begun crawling at the expected age. Concerned about his health and growth, she took him to Nyang’oma Dispensary, where he was assessed and referred to Siaya County Referral Hospital for further evaluation and management. His mother also reported that Paul received only the vaccines given at birth and has missed subsequent routine immunizations. She attributed this to the long distance to the nearest health facility and financial difficulties, which sometimes leave the family without money for transport to attend scheduled clinic visits.

Sunaina Akter is a cheerful 6-year-old Grade One student who was previously healthy but suddenly developed frequent loose, watery stools and abdominal pain. She lives with her five-member family, while her father is the sole earning member and works as a day laborer, earning approximately USD 65–73 per month, which is barely enough to cover their daily household expenses and medical costs. The family informed about Helpster Charity through volunteer Abdur Rahman and sought support because they could not afford the treatment required for Sunaina. After medical evaluation and investigations, she was diagnosed with acute watery diarrhea and required hospital-based treatment. Without timely treatment, continued diarrhea could cause severe dehydration and electrolyte imbalance, which may rapidly worsen her condition and become life-threatening, especially at her young age.

Twelve-year-old Ibrahim Adam Dawud is the youngest of five children, a curious, innovative boy in Primary 5 at a government school who loves creating things and dreams of becoming an engineer. His father is a painter and his mother a retired primary school teacher, and their 35,000 naira monthly income cannot stretch far; home has no electricity, and the family buys water daily. For two weeks, Ibrahim battled colicky pain in his lower right abdomen and flank, radiating to his groin. Passing urine became painful, frequent, and urgent, and three times he passed visible blood. For four days, fever with chills and nausea followed. Brought to the hospital for the first time, he was diagnosed with a urinary tract infection needing prompt treatment.

Yuvanca is a 12-year-old Grade Five pupil and the eldest of four children. She currently lives with her grandmother in the village, while her mother works in town doing domestic and other casual jobs to support the children and grandparents. Her grandmother also undertakes occasional farm work for neighbours to supplement the household’s limited income. Yuvanca enjoys playing with friends and participating in athletics. She dreams of becoming a doctor so she can help others facing health challenges. Two days before presentation, Yuvanca’s health deteriorated significantly. She developed persistent headache, cough, cold symptoms, chest pain and increasing difficulty breathing. She became markedly weak, exhausted and less active, with poor appetite and difficulty carrying out her usual activities. Her breathing became increasingly uncomfortable, leaving her visibly distressed and unable to play normally. After receiving information about Helpster Charity from a facility coordinator, her family brought her for assessment. She appeared sick-looking, weak and tired and was diagnosed with pneumonia, requiring immediate admission for treatment and close monitoring.

Md. Muin is a 13-year-old boy who was previously well and active until he developed high fever, severe body ache, and cough, which gradually made him seriously unwell and concerned his family. His father, Forkan Kha, is the sole earning member of the four-member family and works as a day laborer, earning only approximately USD 66–74 per month, which is barely enough to support Muin, his mother, and grandmother. Because of their limited income, the family cannot afford the hospital and treatment expenses required for Muin’s recovery. He was diagnosed with typhoid fever, and without timely treatment, the infection could worsen and lead to serious complications, potentially becoming life-threatening. The family learned about Helpster Charity through miking, giving them hope of receiving the medical support Muin urgently needs.

Wayes Raja is an 8-month-old boy from a highly vulnerable family of three, living without a permanent home and relying on his father, Maksud Alom, who works as a day laborer and earns approximately BDT 6,000 (about USD 49) per month. His parents, Maksud Alom and Masuda Akter, struggle to meet even their daily necessities, leaving them unable to afford the cost of continued hospital care and treatment. Wayes was previously receiving treatment at the Upazila Health Complex, but his rapid breathing, wheezing, chest indrawing, cough, and oxygen deficiency continued to worsen, leading his worried parents to seek further care at New Evercare Hospital, where he was diagnosed with acute bronchiolitis. Without timely and appropriate treatment, his breathing difficulty and oxygen deficiency could become severe, potentially leading to respiratory failure and a life-threatening condition in this young infant. The family learned about Helpster Charity through a leaflet, giving them hope that Wayes can receive the medical care he urgently needs.

Eight-year-old Adamu is a cheerful boy who dreams of becoming a professional footballer. He lives with his parents and two brothers in a rented apartment. His father is a casual labourer, his mother does domestic chores for neighbours, and their combined 15,000 naira a month cannot even keep the boys in school. Adamu stepped on a sharp object, and the small sore on his left heel turned black, began discharging with a foul smell, and became so painful he can no longer walk on the leg. He has also had a fever for five days. With no money for proper wound care, the infection has grown dangerous, and he now needs urgent treatment.

Five-year-old Adamu Kabiru is a cheerful, affectionate boy who loves playing with his siblings and chatting with his mother. He is one of 13 children squeezed with their parents into a single rented room. His father sells onions on a small scale and his mother sews caps, together earning about 30,000 naira a month, barely enough to feed such a large household. The children fetch water from a community borehole and, unable to afford formal school, attend the community Islamiyya school. For four days, Adamu battled high fever with chills, bloody diarrhoea five to six times daily, abdominal cramps, and weakness. He arrived at the hospital acutely ill, feverish, dehydrated, and pale. Tests confirmed severe malaria with high parasite density, colitis, and moderate anaemia (PCV 26%).

Beryl is the second-born in a family of five children. She is a calm and caring girl who enjoys playing volleyball and reading and dreams of becoming a doctor. She lives with both parents and her siblings in a two-room mud-walled house without electricity. Her mother is a housewife, while her father is the sole breadwinner, depending on irregular casual plumbing jobs to support the family. Beryl began feeling unwell about two days before admission. Initially, her symptoms were mild enough for her to continue attending school, but they progressively worsened. On the day of admission, she developed severe abdominal pain, cough and repeated vomiting, making it difficult to continue her usual activities. She informed her mother, who was occupied with household chores, and Beryl eventually walked to the health facility accompanied by her friends, with her mother joining her later. The family had previously learned about Helpster Charity through a neighbour whose child had received support. Following clinical assessment, Beryl was diagnosed with severe pneumonia and admitted for appropriate inpatient treatment, supportive care and close monitoring.

Baby Esther is the second twin and the youngest of four children. She lives with her parents and siblings in a single-room mud-walled house. Her mother is unemployed, leaving the entire household dependent on her father, who survives through irregular menial jobs. Some days he finds work carrying loads, digging or assisting at construction sites, while on other days he returns home without earning anything. His unpredictable income must provide food, rent, clothing and other necessities for the entire family, leaving no savings for unexpected medical expenses. Esther was born prematurely at 34 weeks’ gestation weighing only 1,200 g, making her a very-low-birth-weight preterm infant at increased risk of serious neonatal complications. Soon after birth, she developed difficulty breathing. She required urgent transfer to the NICU, where she was placed in an incubator for temperature control and received oxygen therapy, infection-prevention measures, feeding support and close monitoring. These interventions were essential to stabilize her breathing and protect her from complications associated with prematurity. With continued specialized neonatal care and good clinical progress,

Lokkhi Rani is a 2-day-old baby girl whose family hopes to see her grow up healthy and strong. She developed high-grade fever, cough, cold, poor feeding, and restlessness and was admitted to City Clinic, where she received oxygen support and treatment for pneumonia. Her father is the sole earning member and works as a daily laborer, earning only approximately USD 41 per month, while the five-member family lives in a tin-shed house and cannot afford the ongoing medical expenses. Without timely treatment and close medical care, pneumonia in such a young newborn may worsen rapidly and cause severe breathing difficulties and other serious complications. The family learned about Helpster Charity through Sadika Rahman and is seeking support for Lokkhi’s recovery.

Md. Abdullah is a 5-year-old Grade 1 student who was previously healthy and active before developing high fever and severe cough for seven days. His father, Monir Payda, is the sole earning member of the five-member family and works as a day laborer, earning approximately USD 66–74 per month, which is barely enough to support Abdullah, his mother, elder brother, and grandmother. Due to their limited income, the family cannot afford the hospital and treatment expenses Abdullah needs. He was diagnosed with typhoid fever, a condition endemic in the catchment area, and without timely treatment, the infection may worsen and cause serious complications that can become life-threatening. The family learned about Helpster Charity through the hospital, giving them an opportunity to obtain the medical care Abdullah needs.

Abu Saleh is a 12-year-old Grade 6 student who was previously healthy, playful, and active before developing fever, cough, respiratory distress, and shortness of breath for four days. He lives with his parents, younger brother Abdullah, and grandmother Mahfuza in a five-member family, while his father, Monir Payda (35), is the sole earning member and works as a day laborer, earning only approximately USD 55–62 per month. With such limited income, the family struggles to meet their daily needs and cannot afford Abu Saleh’s medical expenses. As his breathing became rapid and chest indrawing developed, his mother brought him to Saheda Gafur Ibrahim General Hospital, where he was diagnosed with pneumonia and admitted for better management. Without timely treatment, his breathing difficulty could worsen and lead to severe respiratory complications. The family learned about Helpster Charity through volunteer Abdur Rahman.

Nasri is the third-born in a family of six children. She is a cheerful and caring girl who enjoys playing netball and singing and dreams of becoming a nun when she grows up. She lives with both parents and her siblings in a two-room mud-walled house without electricity. Both parents are small-scale farmers who depend on selling farm produce to provide for the family, making their income dependent on the availability of produce and market sales. Nasri developed general body weakness, body pains and fever. Her mother initially gave her paracetamol and Flagyl tablets that were available at home, hoping her symptoms would improve. However, her condition continued to deteriorate, with increasing body pains and episodes of vomiting. Concerned by the worsening symptoms and lack of improvement with the medication given at home, her mother brought her to the health facility for further assessment and treatment. The family learned about Helpster Charity through a neighbour whose child had previously received treatment at the same facility with medical costs supported by the organization.

Shanto Barmon is a 2-day-old newborn from a family of four whose father, Shadhin Barmon, is the sole earning member and earns only approximately USD 41 per month through daily work. With such limited income, the family struggles to meet basic household needs, leaving them unable to afford the urgent medical care required for their newborn. Although Shanto was healthy at birth, he soon developed frequent watery diarrhea, fever, vomiting, poor feeding, dry mouth, lethargy, and progressive dehydration, requiring emergency hospital treatment. As a newborn, severe dehydration can worsen rapidly and may lead to electrolyte imbalance, shock, and other life-threatening complications if treatment is delayed. The family learned about Helpster Charity through volunteer Sadika Rahman, giving them an opportunity to seek timely care for Shanto.