Help fund Seynabou's urgent medical care!

My name is Nele Schulz, I am 19 years old and a current second year student from Australia and Germany at UWC Dilijan in Armenia. This fundraiser (with my mother Antje listed as a beneficiary because we are using her bank account in Germany), is for my friend Seynabou - one of the bravest and most resilient people I know. She is an inspiration to me every day through her courage to face life with a smile, despite the many challenges it has thrown her way. Here is her story:

 

Who is Seynabou?

Seynabou is a 17 year old girl from Senegal and a current first year student at United World College Dilijan in Armenia. She grew up in a village with her father and siblings and loved any sports or outdoor activities from a young age. Seynabou spent much of her young years looking after the household and her family including her elderly father. She has always loved school and has been committed to her academics, her favourite subject being chemistry. Growing up, in her free time Seynabou loved to read and her favourite books were always those about other countries and cultures which sparked her interest to meet other young people that had grown up different from her. At age 15 this dream became a possibility when she first heard about the United World College movement and she realised that this was her chance to meet other young people from all the places she had been reading about. Despite her many setbacks and challenges and significant gaps in her academic history due to her health, Seynabou applied and was accepted to UWC Dilijan College in Armenia on a Dare to Dream scholarship. In September 2021 Seynabou travelled to Armenia and began her UWC journey.

 

What is the problem?

For the past 7 years Seynabou has been dealing with excruciating pain in her hips and knees due to a condition that still remains undiagnosed. When the pain started at age 10 she spent an entire year unable to walk. In absence of the availability of good medical facilities in her village in Senegal and without access to crutches or a wheelchair she had to depend on her brothers to carry her whenever she needed to move somewhere. Seynabou has spent many years on constant medication to manage her pain however this is also starting to take its toll. Since coming to UWC Dilijan in September last year her pain has worsened to more severe than ever before. Seynabou received emergency surgery in Yerevan in October however this was only temporarily able to relieve some of her acute pain and is not a long term solution. Due to a lack of adequate facilities and resources in Armenia, doctors however were still not able to provide a clear diagnosis. Seynabou now needs urgent specialist treatment including surgery for a double hip replacement.

 

What will your funds be going towards?

As Seynabou is unable to receive the required complex medical treatments and procedures in either Armenia or Senegal she urgently needs specialist care in Germany. Your funds will be going towards Seynabou’s consultations with a specialist, hip-replacement surgery, associated further treatment, rehabilitation, physiotherapy, flights, accommodation and any other linked expenses. As much or as little as you are able to donate, every small bit helps and is one step closer to getting Seynabou the urgent care that she needs. Your donations have the chance to change this young person’s life and enable her to accomplish her dream of finishing her education.

 

Although she is currently unable to move around campus independently and participate in her classes, Seynabou is a daily inspiration to all those around her through her resilience and her ability to keep a smile on her face no matter how much pain she is in. When I asked Seynabou what she wants to do in the future she said straight away that, knowing what it feels like to experience the kind of pain she is in daily, she dreams about helping other people such as herself. She says the support she has received so far has been overwhelming for her and has inspired her to also want to help others. She lives in constant pain and is unable to sleep in any comfortable position, yet is still one of the most upbeat and positive-minded people you will ever meet. Although Seynabou is always very hesitant to ask for help herself, I can think of no one who deserves it more and as a community, we see it as our duty to help one of our own in this time of need. That is why I see it as my obligation to set up this fundraiser.

 

Seynabou is a spirited young girl with her entire future ahead of her, but right now, she can’t even walk to the classes that will get her there. She dreams big but without treatment for her condition they will stay just that - dreams. Seynabou does not deserve to be held back by something like this and as such your help is needed.