Help Asmait See Again

Product Description

Provo, Utah, United States

Supporters

Asmait Hagos is a 21-year-old girl from the small village in Eritrea, a developing nation in east Africa. She is the second-youngest of 7 children in her family, supported largely by her oldest brother and father. Together they bring in $150 US dollars a month, a sum which barely covers their basic living expenses. With Asmait growing older, they were extremely hopeful she would be able to begin working and help support their large family.The Hagos family in their living room. Asmait pictured crouching lower right.

At the age of 9, Asmait began losing her sight. It started with not being able to see the board at school, then she could no longer see her classmates sitting beside her, and today she is unable to work, leave the house or even walk to the bathroom on her own. There are approximately 39 million people in the world living with blindness. Of those 39 million, it is the women who suffer the most, many being subjected to prostitution and sex slavery to sustain their families. Luckily for Asmait, her family is loving and deeply concerned about her future.

My name is Haleigh, and I am a 26-year-old newly wed working for a non-profit in Utah, which, in case geography isn’t your forte, is nowhere near Eritrea. The organization I work for specializes in increasing visual health accessibility around the world, and many of our operations are conducted in east Africa. Simon and his family contacted our CEO while in the Kenya, and have since been in contact with me via emails and phone calls for nearly 2 years in hopes of getting care for Asmait. I was absolutely heart-broken when we finally got a diagnosis and realized the bill would be too high for our organization to justify on an individual basis. Even though our nonprofit was not able to help the Hagos family, I thought that maybe I could. I have offered to be the voice of the Hagos family here in the states and try to raise the money for her operation before her condition advances beyond saving.

Me, pictured left, on a vision outreach in Colombia.

Thankfully, Asmait’s condition is 100% curable. We have already contacted a well-known ophthalmologist in a bordering country who has volunteered her services for free for Asmait’s case. All we need now to help Asmait see again are some rather expensive supplies (including a live cornea!)

If we are able to operate Asmait’s case before it advances, Asmait will have an opportunity at education, her own autonomy, and a dignified profession to help her family earn an income. Although Asmait is the only one receiving the operation, a family of nine will benefit from her ability to contribute financially to their needs.

100% of the funds donated to this campaign will go directly to Asmait’s operation costs, including $2,500 for the shipping and purchase of the cornea, $1,000 for cross-linking and $500 for permanent contact lens. Any remaining funds over our $4,000 goal will go to helping Asmait’s family with transportation and lodging costs incurred for the 2 weeks she will need treatment.

Anyone who donates will receive updates on Asmait’s surgery and progress, including pictures and messages of gratitude from her family (nothing perks up a day like the Hagos family showering e-blessings on you!) Please help us restore Asmait’s sight, no matter how small your donation!

Robert Papstein

8 years ago

$100

Mengistu Ghile

8 years ago

$150

Oman Ghebreyesus

8 years ago

$100

Mengistu Ghile

8 years ago

$100

Nahom Ghebrihiwet

8 years ago

$100

Yonas Bairu

8 years ago

$25

Yonas Bairu

8 years ago

$5

Tedros Tecle

8 years ago

$25

REZENE MEBRAHTU

8 years ago

$25

beshir edris

8 years ago

$50

john ward

8 years ago

$50

amnuel estifanos

8 years ago

$100

Anonymous

8 years ago

$25

Jessie Holt

8 years ago

$25

Anonymous

8 years ago

$50

Ruth Yohannes

8 years ago

$100

Hermon Yohannes

8 years ago

$100

Senait Mesgna

8 years ago

$50

Anonymous

8 years ago

$50

Susan Roberts

8 years ago

$100

Haleigh Perry

Dear Friends and Supporters: I am happy to announce, finally, after such a long wait, that Asmait Hagos was operated on for her Keratonus and Cornea replacement with 100% success. Asmait was operated on two months ago at LV Prasad Eye Institute in Hyderabad, India under the generous hands of Dr. Sayan Basu, who completed the procedure for free. This generous donation of his time and talents made it possible for us to spend not a penny more than the exact amount that was donated for Asmait’s surgery. As many of you remember, when we began this campaign, we needed a minimum of $4,000 dollars to import a cornea to Kenya for Asmait’s surgery. When I saw that we were halfway to that point after 2 months of generous contributions, I knew we had to change our mindset. I contacted a hospital in India in hopes that, at the largest cornea bank in the world, a doctor would come through for us on this operation for a young girl. I wasn’t disappointed as Dr. Basu offered his services at absolutely no charge, meaning we would have just enough money to fly both Asmait and her father to India for the operation. Asmait and father with Dr. Basu post surgery. Due to the severity of her condition, it was requested that Asmait undergo an even more intense operation than originally considered, called a deep Lamellar Keratoplasty, in which only the superior layers of the cornea are transplanted. The operation is more complex and does not always have perfect results, but it was the best option for Asmait. Thankfully the procedure went well, but with a few months of recovery ahead. Knowing that she would not be able to get the care she needed in Eritrea, Asmait’s family decided to schedule her return ticket for Uganda, where she would stay with extended family and be able to find the on-going treatment she would need in the months to follow. Now, two months later, Asmait has been able to see clearly enough to contact me via email and phone, and would like for me to communicate a message to you, the donors who brought her sight back: “Hello my dear sister Haleigh. First, I am sorry that I have not said thanks until now, you know the reason. Now that I have finished my treatment, my brother Simon gave me your email and phone number. Now I am so happy. Dear Haleigh I appreciate you for your great help I can’t express orally because you save me from blindness. My sister, please give my great thanks to those who donate to help me. Now my eye improves nicely and my doctor says I have only 1 month left of using the drops. Thank you all so much for what you have done, wishing you all the best Dear Haleigh and friends.” High quality pictures are difficult because the Hagos’ do not have cameras, but please stay tuned for more pictures as we get them. Thank you all for the tremendous difference you have made in the life of this young girl. By small and simple things, great things can be accomplished, and this is surely a great thing. All my best, Haleigh

Dear Friends and Supporters:

I am happy to announce, finally, after such a long wait, that Asmait Hagos was operated on for her Keratonus and Cornea replacement with 100% success. Asmait was operated on two months ago at LV Prasad Eye Institute in Hyderabad, India under the generous hands of Dr. Sayan Basu, who completed the procedure for free. This generous donation of his time and talents made it possible for us to spend not a penny more than the exact amount that was donated for Asmait’s surgery.

As many of you remember, when we began this campaign, we needed a minimum of $4,000 dollars to import a cornea to Kenya for Asmait’s surgery. When I saw that we were halfway to that point after 2 months of generous contributions, I knew we had to change our mindset. I contacted a hospital in India in hopes that, at the largest cornea bank in the world, a doctor would come through for us on this operation for a young girl. I wasn’t disappointed as Dr. Basu offered his services at absolutely no charge, meaning we would have just enough money to fly both Asmait and her father to India for the operation.

Asmait and father with Dr. Basu post surgery.

Due to the severity of her condition, it was requested that Asmait undergo an even more intense operation than originally considered, called a deep Lamellar Keratoplasty, in which only the superior layers of the cornea are transplanted. The operation is more complex and does not always have perfect results, but it was the best option for Asmait. Thankfully the procedure went well, but with a few months of recovery ahead. Knowing that she would not be able to get the care she needed in Eritrea, Asmait’s family decided to schedule her return ticket for Uganda, where she would stay with extended family and be able to find the on-going treatment she would need in the months to follow.

Now, two months later, Asmait has been able to see clearly enough to contact me via email and phone, and would like for me to communicate a message to you, the donors who brought her sight back:

“Hello my dear sister Haleigh. First, I am sorry that I have not said thanks until now, you know the reason. Now that I have finished my treatment, my brother Simon gave me your email and phone number. Now I am so happy. Dear Haleigh I appreciate you for your great help I can’t express orally because you save me from blindness. My sister, please give my great thanks to those who donate to help me. Now my eye improves nicely and my doctor says I have only 1 month left of using the drops. Thank you all so much for what you have done, wishing you all the best Dear Haleigh and friends.”

High quality pictures are difficult because the Hagos’ do not have cameras, but please stay tuned for more pictures as we get them. Thank you all for the tremendous difference you have made in the life of this young girl. By small and simple things, great things can be accomplished, and this is surely a great thing.

All my best,

Haleigh

8 years ago

Haleigh Perry

Hello All!! Thanks so much for being patient as we work on this process of getting Asmait the surgery she needs! There have been LOTS of developments recently to share with you. Although we were previously scheduled to have Asmait’s surgery in Kenya, we had the largest cornea bank in India offer to operate on Asmait at no cost! That was incredibly exciting as we didn’t quite reach the amount of money we needed to provide for the operation. But, we have just enough money to purchase her and her father a plane ticket to Hyderabad, India and provide for their stay there. Perfect! With your funds, we’ve bought the plane tickets and reserved lodging for the scheduled surgery date. This week, after a very arduous process (including traveling to Sudan), Asmait and her father have both been granted visas to India for the duration of the operation! Asmait and her father will be headed out to India on February 11th for this long awaited surgery. Honestly, this is a little bit of a dream come true for everyone involved. I started this website with nothing but a small hope that we would be able to raise enough funds for Asmait, that we would get the visas for them to travel, that we would be able to find a doctor who could operate for less than $4,000, and look where we are. We did it. Thank you all for your generous contributions that are going to change this girl’s life forever. I will be keeping you up to date on Asmait’s travel, operation and recovery. Sincerely, Haleigh

Hello All!!

Thanks so much for being patient as we work on this process of getting Asmait the surgery she needs! There have been LOTS of developments recently to share with you.

Although we were previously scheduled to have Asmait’s surgery in Kenya, we had the largest cornea bank in India offer to operate on Asmait at no cost! That was incredibly exciting as we didn’t quite reach the amount of money we needed to provide for the operation. But, we have just enough money to purchase her and her father a plane ticket to Hyderabad, India and provide for their stay there. Perfect!

With your funds, we’ve bought the plane tickets and reserved lodging for the scheduled surgery date. This week, after a very arduous process (including traveling to Sudan), Asmait and her father have both been granted visas to India for the duration of the operation! Asmait and her father will be headed out to India on February 11th for this long awaited surgery.

Honestly, this is a little bit of a dream come true for everyone involved. I started this website with nothing but a small hope that we would be able to raise enough funds for Asmait, that we would get the visas for them to travel, that we would be able to find a doctor who could operate for less than $4,000, and look where we are. We did it. Thank you all for your generous contributions that are going to change this girl’s life forever. I will be keeping you up to date on Asmait’s travel, operation and recovery.

Sincerely,

Haleigh

8 years ago

Haleigh Perry

Dear friends, Thank you so much for contributing to Asmait’s future. We have raised $2,055, which is nothing short of amazing, and we are beginning to make plans with what has been raised. Although we did not reach the target of $4,000, we are seeing what we can do to think outside of the box. Instead of going to Kenya for her surgery, we are currently working with CharityVision International partners in India, where corneas are much more accessible and surgeries are more affordable, to give Asmait the quality surgery she needs for the right price. We are pleased to say that we are shooting for mid to late December for Asmait’s surgery, just in time for Christmas. Thank you all for trusting in me, especially for those of you who do not know me or my integrity, and were willing to donate anyway. I promise that we will use funds in the most efficient way possible and that 100% of your donation will go directly to Asmait’s operation. Thank you for everything again and again, stay tuned for updates! I also wanted to share the following message from Simon, Asmait’s brother, who would like to convey his gratitude to you all personally. ———————- Dear all, I’m writing this note to express my gratitude on behalf of Asmait and the rest of our family. Each and every one of you has touched our hearts by your generous contributions. Each contribution means a lot to all of us. Your contribution has elevated our hope and lifted Asmait’s spirit for life and vision. Now, Asmait is full of energy and excited about her surgery and her plans afterwords. You all have sparked that life with your generous contribution, and we are deeply grateful for that. Sincerely, Simon

8 years ago

Oman Ghebreyesus

Dear Haleigh Perry, thank so much and may God bless you all who are behind this work. With kind regards, Aman and Fiona from Burkina Faso

8 years ago

Yonas Bairu

I hope she’s doing well, thank you for telling her story.

8 years ago

Yonas Bairu

I hope she’s doing well, thank you for telling her story.

8 years ago

Hermon Yohannes

Stay strong Asmait. Look forward to pictures with her vision restored and a smile on her face.

8 years ago

Sydnee Ochoa

🙂

8 years ago

Haleigh Perry