UAE Helping Hands: Father needs help to stay alive until kidney operation

Zakareya Taher's son will be his transplant donor but the operation cannot go ahead for a few more months. Until then, Mr Taher needs help to pay for dialysis treatment.

Zakareya Taher from Ethiopia needs help to pay for dialysis. Pawan Singh / The National

ABU DHABI // After knocking on doors and asking for assistance from every available charity in the UAE, 42-year-old Zakareya Taher is asking The National's readers for help to continue his dialysis treatment.
Mr Taher was diagnosed with kidney failure more than a year ago and was dropped from his job as a result.
"I go three times a week for dialysis for four hours and I'm always tired. No job would put up with that," he says.
While his employer has assured his employment visa is in order, Mr Taher has no insurance and no income.
"I live off charity and a friend has been kind enough to let me stay for free at their place."
However, Mr Taher, a father of four, does not want to live off charity forever.
"My son will come in a few months to donate his kidney for a transplant," he says.
Kidney transplant operations are carried out for free in Abu Dhabi.
"I can't go back home for dialysis or a transplant because it's not available. We live more than 2,000 kilometres from Addis Ababa," Mr Taher says.
He is confident that his days of living off charity will be over after the transplant.
"God willing, I will get better and go back to work after the operation," he says. "I just need to survive until then and continue my dialysis."
Mr Taher has to pay Dh9,000 for dialysis every month. He is asking for help to pay for up to six month of dialysis until his operation.
"So far, I have managed to pay but now I owe the hospital Dh3,000 and can no longer pay for dialysis or the bill I owe."
Without treatment, Mr Taher cannot have the transplant and that will threatened his life.
"I can't go back home for help," he says.
"I don't care that I don't have food to eat or a place to stay, I just want to continue dialysis until I have my operation and can stand on my own two feet."
Mr Taher has been living in the UAE for 10 years. He has four children, the youngest of whom is eight.
Hisham Al Zahrani, manager of zakat and social services at Dar Al Ber Society, said: "We have managed to pay for some of his treatment until now but we are asking for your assistance to continue the few sessions he has left until the operation.
"Mr Taher has a kidney donor ready, his son, and the operation will be done free of charge in the UAE.
"Unfortunately, he has to pay for dialysis until then and with no income and no health insurance, he cannot afford to."
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Here's how you can help
Call the hotline at 0502955999, or send a WhatsApp message to the same number. Donations can be made by depositing funds in Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank account, Iban number AE9805 000 000 000 11530734 or Dubai Islamic Bank account, Iban number AE8002 4000 352 0443 1952 01. Donations go towards paying Zakareya's son's medical care.