Zainab Fatima is a five-year-old girl that hails from the city of Rawalakot in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Like every other girl her age, she has her dolls, is always ready to play, loves to roam around and also aspires to go to school. But, there was one obstacle in her life that differentiates her experience from that of other children – she couldn’t hear.

Zainab was born with a hearing disability. Her father, like any father would, traveled all around Pakistan with her girl for 5 years to find treatment for her daughter. He made several trips to major cities of Pakistan, piled up debts, traveled from one doctor to another, traveled from one hospital to another in his search to find relief and support for his daughter’s hearing impairment.

By the time he reached the right institutions or got aware of government grants, he got to know that Zainab was not preferred anymore, she isn’t the ideal candidate. She has run out of time and was still months away from receiving the government grant. Cochlear transplants are more successful if these transplants are carried out at age 5 or under. Since, she had turned 5, her chances of success had diminished.

And that’s when FRDP International and its donors stepped in to give Zainab a fighting chance to hear once again. The medical team examined her and due to their strong recommendation, the organisation proceeded with raising funds for a cochlear implant to enable her hearing. Within few weeks, the funds were raised and after thorough diagnostics and tests, the surgery was successfully carried during the holy month of Ramadan.

Zainab can now hear! Her speech therapy classes are going to start and soon we shall her speak too.