Gambia Mission: Free Eye & Joint Surgery
Volunteer arthroplasty and ophthalmology teams travel to The Gambia, West Africa, to provide specialized surgical care and expand access to life-changing treatment for patients in need.
September 10, 2026
From the field
What your gift provides
$33
1 cubic meter (1,000 liters)
$9
1 meal
$25
1 winter blanket for a family
$50
Essential medicines for one patient
$50
Medication for one patient after surgery
$50
Training materials for one medical trainee
$50
Medication and wound care for one patient
$100
Medication and post-operative care
$50
Eye drops and medication after surgery
$50
Medication and recovery care for one patient
$50
Medication and follow-up care for one patient
$100
Medication and post-operative care
$50
Medication for one patient’s recovery
$25
A hygiene kit for a displaced family
$100
Medication for an evacuated child
$25
School supplies for one child
$100
Medication and post-operative care for a child
$40
One student’s education for one month
$100
3 cubic meters (3,000 liters)
$90
10 meals
$100
4 winter blankets
$150
Wound-care supplies for a hospital ward
$150
Surgical supplies for one operation
$100
A day of hands-on clinical training
$100
Trauma supplies for one patient
$500
Toward an implant for one joint replacement
$250
Toward one cataract surgery
$150
Surgical consumables for one operation
$250
Toward one patient’s eye surgery
$250
Surgical instruments and consumables for one operation
$200
Toward one patient’s operation
$50
A food and hygiene relief package
$250
Transport and accommodation for a child and parent
$40
A term of schooling for one child
$250
Diagnostics and pre-operative tests
$350
Sponsor one student for the full academic year
$500
15 cubic meters (15,000 liters)
$900
100 meals
$250
10 winter blankets
$500
Medical equipment for a clinic still operating
$500
Toward one patient’s joint or eye surgery
$500
Toward data collection for a field study
$500
Toward a lifesaving operation
$1,000
Toward one patient’s cardiac procedure
$500
Toward a knee or hip replacement implant
$300
Toward one patient’s orthopedic surgery
$500
Toward a knee or hip replacement implant
$500
Toward an implant for one knee or hip replacement
$500
Toward a complex reconstructive surgery
$100
Medical care and medicines for a family
$1,000
A month of follow-up care and rehabilitation
$500
Equipment for one classroom
$500
Toward one child’s surgery
$10,000
Sponsor one class for one shift for the academic year
$1,000
30 cubic meters (30,000 liters)
$9,000
1,000 meals
$1,000
40 winter blankets for displaced families
$1,000
A month of supplies for a busy ward
$1,000
Toward theatre costs for a day of operating
$1,000
Toward a clinician’s specialist course
$1,500
Toward moving a surgical team to a hard-to-reach area
$2,500
Toward one patient’s complete surgery
$1,000
Toward one corneal transplant
$1,000
Toward theatre costs for a day of operating
$1,000
Toward theatre costs for a day of operating
$1,500
Toward one patient’s complete surgery
$2,000
Toward a day of theatre time and staff
$500
Relief packages for 10 families
$5,000
Toward one child’s evacuation and treatment
$2,500
Helps cover the cost of running a field school for one month
$1,500
Toward a child’s complete surgical care
$22,500
Sponsor one classroom across all three daily shifts for the year
In much of West Africa, the main barrier to surgery is access. Many patients already know what treatment they need but wait years to receive it. FAJR Global's volunteer arthroplasty and ophthalmology teams travel to The Gambia to restore sight and mobility.
The need
Cataract is the leading cause of blindness in The Gambia, according to the country's national eye surveys (British Journal of Ophthalmology). Cataract surgery is quick and highly effective, but specialist surgeons and theatre time are scarce. Joint disease is another hidden burden: people who could return to work after a knee or hip replacement often have no way to get one.
How the mission works
FAJR's teams operate alongside local doctors, performing joint replacements that help people return to work and eye surgery that restores sight. Every clinician on the mission volunteers their time. Donations cover what the surgery itself requires: implants, instruments, medication and theatre costs.
Clinicians who want to join a FAJR mission can reach the team through Get Involved.
What your gift provides
$50 covers medication and follow-up care for one patient. $250 goes toward one patient's eye surgery. $500 goes toward a knee or hip replacement implant, and $1,000 toward theatre costs for a day of operating.
Questions about this campaign
How much does it cost to restore someone's sight?
A gift of $250 goes toward one patient's eye surgery. Cataract surgery usually takes less than an hour, and most patients can see again within days.
Is this campaign Zakat-eligible?
Yes. Surgery for patients who cannot afford it is a recognized use of Zakat. Every FAJR campaign is Zakat-eligible. Read more on our Zakat page.
Is my donation tax-deductible?
Yes. FAJR Global is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Tax ID (EIN) 83-1497239, and your gift is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. You receive a tax receipt by email.
Can I give without online fees?
Yes. Online payments carry a 3% card processing fee and a 1% platform processing fee. Give by Zelle to donate@fajr.org or by check payable to FAJR GLOBAL and the full amount reaches the work. How to give without fees.
Campaign updates
Every gift on this page turns into food on a plate within days. A gift of $9 funds one nutritious meal for a displaced family in Gaza. Your support is going straight to food, the transport to move it, and the teams distributing it with dignity.
A look at how a meal comes together: chicken prepared and seasoned in bulk, then cooked in large pots before being packed into trays and delivered while still warm. This is the same shift-based kitchen shown in the campaign photos.
Distribution is underway across displacement shelters in Gaza, reaching families who often cannot get to a market safely. Each parcel and hot meal is delivered by teams working directly where people are sheltering.
Recent supporters
$250 helps restore a patient’s sight through eye surgery.
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