Amina's story is a very heartbreaking situtation that goes back almost 13 years. She was a fresh young bride from Mali that was wed to her new husband in New York City. She moved into a tiny Brooklyn apartment with her husband, and gave birth to two sons who were both diganosed with autism.The American dream to learn English or going to vocational school became impossible .They were still managing somehow baring patience with two children that was highly disabled.
        Her husband was a devout Muslim, and he was  always helping people including my husband who also just located to NY from Mali. They became very close friends.  Around 2001, her husband died of a heart attack suddenly, leaving her with no one to help her except my husband. My husband Abu Bakr did whatever he can for them, and he came whenever they needed him.
        One night, the younger son burned his arm, and she rushed him to the hospital. Right there and then, the social service took her children away from her, and put them in a foster home in Long Island (which was about 3 hours away). She spoke no English, and did not know what to do. She also end up in a homeless shelter for 2 years. Amina did her best to get her kids back. My husband took her to the foster home, and tried his best to find help to get them out. Finally, she was able to get an agreement to get her kids back if she goes back to Mali.
        Since she has gone back, she has not recieved or was not able to cash most of her social security checks. The embassy or US  Social Security has done nothing to help.She is not able to work because her sons' severe autism. She has basically survived on whatever donations we were able to raise for the past several years. Some days she would  call us, and tell us she has no food on the table or she ran out of the medicine for her kids. For all these year, we have beeing asking friends of close circles, but we have exhausted all private means.
    We are trying to set up an emergency fund for her family this year for basic needs:food, clothing, and medication in Mali for one year.
      Next year, we are looking to raise money for plane tickets for them to come to United States, and get a lawyer to reclaim social security checks, and get proper treatment and program for the sons' autism. She may also need to come back to America due to the war conflict in Mali. God Willing.
      She suffered long enough, and we just want her be able to get her rights that is due to her and her children who are American citizens. 
       We also had issues with banks in Mali, and they take a great amount of fee for check cashing or transfer. The funding at this time will be deposited to my account, and we withdraw it and send it to her through Western Union. In the future we are contacting banks in Mali that will take the transfer directly. God willing.
      Those who don't know me, my name is Muminah Kudo and I worked mostly as a teacher in various Islamic Schools.  Amina's relationship is through my husband Abu Bakr Traore who had tireless helped her all these years because he feels a great obligation to help his friend who passed away.
       May God bless you, and reward you immensely for any support you can give them.