Exactly one year ago, I co-founded a student Non-Governmental Organisation in North Cyprus called Voices of International Students in Cyprus (VOIS Cyprus). Cyprus is an amazing place, and as with several other places, has issues that could be improved, as such, this platform was aimed at enabling students voice out their experiences, as well as to serve as a bridge towards bringing locals and foreigners even closer.

On this note, we were approached by a Nigerian Michael Saliu, who is under dialysis for both of his kidneys and needs help with staying alive. If you would wish to support him in any way, please check out the Facebook post on the official VOIS Cyprus page: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=810652729294885&id=571975636495930

We have started a GoFundMe campaign for him. Please, donate to save his life: https://www.gofundme.com/help-save-michaels-life?member=1656130

In just one year, VOIS Cyprus, has achieved a lot through pacific means and dialogue with key stakeholders in society, and with several ministries of the government in the TRNC.

We are also accepting applications for the TRNC scholarships for international students already studying in the TRNC. Our second collaboration with the ministry of education. We have done our best to contribute to bettering and informing the international student population of the TRNC.

But today, I'm here to solicit with anyone who's willing to contribute whatever you can to help keep Michael alive.

Below is his story:

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Michael Mohammed Saliu is a Nigerian citizen living in the Northern part of Cyprus. He is 33 years old.

In September of 2018, Michael was diagnosed with end stage kidney failure. He currently undergoes dialysis treatment three times a week at the Famagusta General Hospital (North Cyprus). The cost of the weekly dialysis treatment is 750TL ($145).

Dialysis is the process of removing excess water, solutes, and toxins from the blood in people whose kidneys can no longer perform these functions naturally. The dialysis treatment is the only thing keeping Michael alive. However, he cannot afford the weekly treatments which his life so depends on.

Michael’s father is a retired military man in Nigeria, and his mother teaches in a primary school (she is also approaching retirement age). His parents are poor and cannot afford the money to pay for his weekly treatments. So far, his friends and nurses have been paying for his treatment.

At the end of December, Michael’s friends reached out to VOIS Cyprus for assistance. Having explored a few options available to us with no success, we decided along with Michael and his friends to solicit help from all of humanity via a GofundMe account. The purpose of this campaign is threefold:

1) To raise money for the dialysis treatment which he needs weekly. Each week he needs $145. We are unable to ascertain for how long this will continue.

2) To raise money for a kidney transplant operation. Kidney transplant operations have varying costs. Following advice from doctors, we checked the price of kidney transplants in India. The cost ranges from $10,000 and above depending on the skill and experience of the surgeon, hospital charges, cost of medicines and other consumables, as well as the duration of hospital stay.

3) A kidney donor.

Michael is a kind hearted man who had just begun his graduate studies in electrical engineering . He just wants to lead a normal life; go to school, get a job, visit his friends and family, take of his parents, fall in love, and walk the beautiful streets of Famagusta at night.

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To find out more about us, we are on social media via:


FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/voiscyprus

INSTAGRAM: http://www.instagram.com/voiscyprus

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/voiscyprus

Website: https://www.voiscyprus.org

E-MAIL US: info@voiscyprus.org

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