Addis Ababa – An 8-year old Ethiopian boy named Abdulrazak, attacked by a wild hyena received life-saving medical treatment through the joint humanitarian efforts of Ambassador Belaynesh Zevadia, Israeli diplomat Ismail Khaldi, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee [JDC], and Western Galilee Hospital in Nahariya, Israel.
In January, 2013 in an Ethiopian village in Enemur section of the Gurage region: A rogue hyena entered the village, attacking a group of children playing in the fields. Eight-year-old Abdulrazak was playing with three of his friends when the hyena attacked. The other children were able to run to safety, but Abdulrazak was the youngest and slowest. The hyena tackled him to the ground and climbed on top of his back. Hearing screams, Alawi, Abdulrazak’s father, rushed to the scene. Seeing his son being mauled by a hyena, he chose to risk his own life and fight single-handedly. He said to himself “if this hyena is going to kill my son, he’ll have to kill me first.” He grabbed the back legs and started pulling him off. Other villagers appeared with sticks, to aid in his defence of his son.
While Abdulrazak survived, he was left with huge injuries: he lost most of his scalp, his right eye, and his right ear. He was hospitalized in Attat Hospital for five months before being transferred to Addis Ababa, where he could receive more advanced care.
Medical help was requested from the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC). JDC’s Medical Director contacted Western Galilee Hospital in Northern Israel. After emailing photos and medical data and several long phone conversations, medical staff at Naharyia concluded that the boy would need a series of plastic surgeries, including skin grafting across large parts of his head, as well as possible eyelid reconstruction.
The Director General of Western Galilee Hospital in Nahariya, Dr. Masad Barhoum, offered to provide the necessary treatment while taking on a substantial amount of the surgery and hospitalization costs. The hospital held a fundraising campaign to cover the expenses, estimated to be over $40,000, which is about 1 million Ethiopian Birr.
Meanwhile, Amir Yarchi, Acting Director of the hospital, recruited his colleague Ismail Khaldi, an advisor in the Israeli Embassy in London, the first Bedouin diplomat in Israel's diplomatic service for assistance as well. Israeli Ambassador to Ethiopia, Belaynesh Zevadia, stepped in to support Abdulrazak’s care. “As an Israeli diplomat, and as a mother, I am delighted we could help Abdul get to Israel for the care he needs.”
Amir Yarchi, echoing the ambassador’s sentiment, narrated the heart-warming journey this way: “After the successful skin grafting he went through some 3 weeks ago, Abulrazak had to go through a very complicated jaw surgery, in which the doctors used computer modeling to take part of his rib to reconstruct his jaw, destroyed by the force of the hyena bite. During the procedure they put him into an induced-coma for a week, in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. After he was transferred from the ICU to a regular ward, he quickly got better and started walking around the hospital, playing with all kind of toys and smiling from ear to ear. In this short period of time, the entire hospital fell in love with this little boy and his father. They walked around the campus, where almost no one spoke their language, but everybody seemed to know them and to communicate with them in different ways... We managed to raise funds to cover the enormous costs of his treatment, $30,000 – it represents close to 75% of the actual costs. I am very proud that the hospital is providing all the necessary care without considering ‘who is paying the bill?’ Thank you all for your help and support!”
The JDC added that, “we’re delighted that Abdul could get world-class medical care to restore his life. It is a pleasure to see how his life and confidence is restored and he’s now a kid again.”
After spending two months in Israel, Abdulrazak and his father have returned to Ethiopia. Finally back home, this young boy can now lead a healthy and normal life thanks to the joint efforts of a dedicated team of medical and diplomatic professionals across two countries.
→ A special thanks goes to Mr. Danny Amir, CEO of Vered HaSharon Travel Group, for contributing a significant share in this noble mission.
Local media here as well reported this pleasant news extensively. Here are just a few: