Electronic Iraq : Direct Aid Initiative

Healing the Healer: Dr. Muhammad

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 08:39:55 CST

Kathy Kelly writes from Jordan with an appeal for an Iraqi doctor in need of an urgent surgery. In the process, she gives us a window into the struggles of Iraq's doctors to support even one of their own through the ongoing catastrophe, so that they can support and heal their people now and in the time to come.

A different kind of healing for Iraqi kids in Jordan

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 09:19:59 CST

The wounds of war go far beyond destroyed infrastructure and broken bodies. For Iraq's children, these casualties include a genuine childhood, and in many cases, the sound of laughter.

In this brief update, Najlaa Al-Nashi writes from Amman about a recent series of performances for children organized by DAI in Jordan featuring a British circus arts troupe.

Al-Fuhays: Helping the Iraqi community help itself

Fri, 28 Dec 2007 14:45:09 CST

Direct Aid Initiative's Amman Coordinator, Najlaa Al-Nashi, writes from Jordan about a new effort DAI is supporting to help Iraqis in a remote area access basic medical care by training them and connecting them to the resources they need.

Read about what DAI is doing to help people help each other, filling the many gaps that exist in the medical care being provided to displaced Iraqis.

Hussein

Fri, 14 Dec 2007 09:20:36 CST

Hussein, a four-year-old Iraqi boy, has a long history of hospitalizations and surgeries - first in Iraq and more recently in Jordan - aimed at treating his illness and its symptoms. Hussein and his family have lived in Jordan since late-2005. After performing numerous medical interventions, Jordanian doctors are now saying there is nothing more they can do for Hussein, who continues to suffer from Hirschsprung's Disease and its debilitating, potentially lethal effects.

DAI is committed to supporting and advocating for Hussein. It may be that doctors in the U.S. can help him. Read below for how you can help.

Muna

Wed, 21 Nov 2007 09:50:34 CST

Muna's house in Kut, a village southeast of Baghdad, was struck by a US missile in early April of 2003, during the US invasion. The explosion killed Muna's parents, as well as her four brothers. It also killed her infant daughter, whose name was "Iraq".

Rasul

Mon, 19 Nov 2007 09:52:42 CST

Rasul (whose name in Arabic means 'messenger') is an eight-year-old boy from Baghdad. Rasul was struck by gunfire as he returned from a candy store. A bullet from an ongoing firefight entered Rasul's left eye, passed through his nose, and exited his right eye. As a result, his left eye is missing entirely, and his right eye has been reduced to approximately 20% of full vision.

Samira and Amira

Mon, 27 Aug 2007 09:51:20 CST

In the midst of family tragedy, Samira and Amira suffer from diabetes, which is easily manageable with the necessary resources, but can be quickly lethal without resources to pay for ongoing medication and check-ups.

Fatima

Mon, 27 Aug 2007 09:49:55 CST

Due to a birth defect possibly related to exposure to chemicals from munitions, Fatima lost one kidney when she was one year old, immediately following her arrival in Jordan. Her remaining kidney is prone to infection and because of this she requires monthly check-ups and out-patient treatment. In June of 2007, she was hospitalized for treatment of a severe kidney infection due to her family’s inability to pay for regular check-ups.

Mustafa

Mon, 27 Aug 2007 09:48:58 CST

On April 1, 2003, a week before the fall of the Saddam Hussein regime, Mustafa climbed to the roof of his home in Baghdad's Karrada neighborhood to adjust his television receiver in order to get news about the progress of the American invasion. The concussive force of an explosion from a nearby US bomb strike threw him from his roof. He fell two stories, landing on the cement below. His back broke in two places, paralyzing him from the waist down.

Umm Ali

Fri, 17 Aug 2007 09:47:03 CST

In May of 2007, DAI provided funds for Umm Ali, 57, to undergo uterine surgery to address a chronic condition, and for follow-up medication during her recovery. She was in the hospital for four days and continued to take medicine for several weeks after the surgery. She reports that she is now healthy, and that the surgery was successful.

UPDATE: Woman injured by mortar shell needs immediate assistance

Fri, 17 Aug 2007 09:20:28 CST

In June, Buthaina H. Muhammad, 38, was severely injured when her house in Baghdad was struck by a mortar fired by unknown forces. The three other inhabitants of her house, all women, were killed. Buthaina's legs were seriously injured. She was rushed the next day to a US Army emergency hospital, then transferred to an Iraqi hospital which lacked the facilities and supplies to treat her. She was already suffering from septicemia (bacteria in her blood), due to contaminated conditions. She needs an urgent surgery and we are asking for your help.