Awasi, Nyando · KenyaCase #9010 Verified by Helpster · 23 Oct 2026

$150 pays Joseph's hospital bill in full.

Joseph is 10. In August he was treated for a severe infection and anaemia at Awasi Catholic Mission Health Centre in western Kenya. The treatment is done. The bill isn't paid. You can settle it, or part of it, in under a minute.

Joseph, 10, in a hospital gown, holding a Helpster sign that reads Support my treatment, in the corridor of Awasi Catholic Mission Health Centre
Joseph at Awasi Catholic Mission Health Centre
Joseph standing in the hospital corridor in a gown, with a bandaged cannula on his left hand
Joseph in a white shirt standing beside a man in the hospital corridor

Who Joseph is

Joseph is in Grade Four. He likes drawing and says he wants to be a teacher. He is the fourth of five children. His father is out of work, and his mother earns what she can as a market helper. Joseph has sickle cell disease, and even his routine medication is a stretch for the family.

In August he developed a headache, chills, fever and dizziness, grew weak and began vomiting. At Awasi Catholic Mission Health Centre he was diagnosed with sepsis and anaemia on top of his sickle cell disease, and admitted for antibiotics, close monitoring and a blood transfusion if needed.

Hospitals in Helpster's network treat urgent cases first and send the bill afterwards. Joseph's bill is $150. It is still open.

From Helpster's case file, verified 23 Oct 2026. Full record: helpstercharity.org/eu/database/9010

Why the bill comes after the treatment

An infection like Joseph's can't wait for a fundraiser. So Helpster's partner hospitals treat the child first and bill Helpster afterwards. Helpster then checks the case: a volunteer visits the family, a doctor reviews the records, an anti-fraud check runs. Only then does the bill go public. Paying it on time is what lets a small mission hospital keep saying yes to the next child.

  1. Treated

    Joseph was admitted and treated at Awasi Catholic Mission Health Centre.

  2. Request received

    The hospital sent the case and its invoice to Helpster.

  3. Checked and confirmed

    Home visit, medical records and doctor review completed.

  4. Today
    Bill open: $150

    $0 paid so far. This is where you come in.

What you're paying for

One invoice, from one hospital, for one child. Helpster reviews every hospital invoice twice before paying it.

Hospital invoice · layout preview

Awasi Catholic Mission Health Centre

Awasi, Nyando · Kisumu County, Kenya

Unpaid
Patient
Joseph O., 10
Admitted
August 2026
Diagnosis
Sepsis, anaemia (sickle cell disease)
Helpster case
#9010
Admission and ward stay
IV antibiotics
Laboratory tests
Blood transfusion, if required
Nursing and monitoring
Total due to the hospital$150.00

The itemised invoice and Joseph's medical report are shared with donors after payment.

Where your money goes

5,914lives saved since 2022
6,174cases published, every one
391children waiting for a bill to be paid
$245average cost of a treatment

Every dollar goes to the hospital

Public donations pay hospital bills only. Helpster's running costs are covered by a separate pool of private donors. Card and currency fees of about 4–6% are kept by payment providers, not by Helpster.

Checked three ways

A volunteer visits the family at home, a doctor reviews the medical records, and an automated anti-fraud check runs before a case is published.

Paid to the hospital, never in cash

Money goes straight to the partner hospital for a named child. It never passes through the family.

Nothing hidden

All 6,174 cases are public. Donors get invoices, medical reports and updates from the family and the doctors.

Candid Platinum Transparency 2026 501(c)(3) · Helpster Charity US Inc. Registered in Estonia · MTÜ 80622371 Founded 2022 · Kenya, Nigeria, Bangladesh

What happens after you pay

  1. Receipt in your inbox

    Straight away. US donors can claim it as a tax deduction.

  2. Helpster pays the hospital

    The transfer goes to Awasi Catholic Mission Health Centre against Joseph's invoice.

  3. You see the paperwork

    The itemised invoice and Joseph's medical report, shared with you.

  4. A message from Awasi

    From the family or the treating doctor when the case closes.

If Joseph's bill gets covered first

Bills close quickly once they're public. If Joseph's is settled before your payment lands, your gift goes to the next child in line, ranked by urgency. Three of the 391 children waiting right now:

Fidel Ryan O., 2Kenya · Infections $10 of $105 paid
Meshack O., 2Kenya · Infections $0 of $140 paid
Tasnim A., 5Bangladesh · Infections $0 of $150 paid
See all 391 children waiting →

Questions donors ask

Is my donation tax-deductible?

In the US, yes. Helpster Charity US Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, EIN 93-3969693, and your receipt is a tax receipt. Helpster is also registered in Estonia (Helpster Charity MTÜ, 80622371), where gifts are generally deductible. Donors elsewhere should check their local rules.

Joseph was treated in August. Why is the bill still open?

Partner hospitals treat urgent cases before fundraising starts and bill Helpster afterwards. Helpster verifies each case and then publishes the bill. Settling it on time keeps the hospital's door open for the next child.

Can I pay only part of the bill?

Yes. Any amount from $5 counts towards Joseph's $150, and other donors can cover the rest. If you'd rather close it in one go, choose the full bill.

Can I give monthly instead?

Yes. A monthly gift goes to the most urgent unpaid bill each month, and you get the same paperwork for every child it helps. Cancel at any time by emailing team@helpstercharity.org.

How do I know the money reached the hospital?

You receive the paid invoice and the medical report. Joseph's record in the public database moves from "Fundraising" to "Invoice paid" and then "Case closed".

$150Joseph's hospital bill
Pay the bill