The local African community is taking up the cause of Ibrahim Essandoh, a man who needs a life-saving kidney transplant. That's because his brother - who has offered to donate his own kidney - is not being allowed into Canada.

Like many immigrants, Essandoh found that his skills from Ghana, West Africa were not enough to land him a computer drafting job in Canada. So he became a fabricator, building large structures.

But due to failing health, it is a job he can no longer do. He has now returned to school to upgrade his computer skills.

Essandoh says his hopes for recovery now rest with a brother in Ghana, who has offered to donate his kidney. But his visitor's visa was denied.

When he applied again, Essandoh says his brother was asked to prove that the two are siblings.

He says he quickly sent the DNA, but was charged $938. Since that money was sent, the Ghana native says he hasn't received any response from the embassy.

It's that kind of treatment that is prompting the African community in Vancouver to lend its support to the case, according to Dr. Clement Apaak. He claims he is so angry he hasn't slept in the last few days.

"When I heard the story on CTV I felt obligated to take action,'' Apaak said. "So I want you to know we have started mobilizing, we have a Facebook page going, and we are asking many people to call the minister for citizenship and immigration Jason Kenney's office."

That move is being backed by Olivia Chow, the NDP's Immigration Critic

"Canada is quickly losing the reputation of being a humane country because we must allow people to come into Canada if there are special circumstances like donating a kidney,'' she said.

Apaak agreed.

"We are not going to let him die because of government bureaucracy,'' he said.

"There's somebody standing ready to give his kidney to save a Canadian life. What we forget is that he is a Canadian."

Meanwhile, Essandoh says he feels more optimistic about his chances of getting a kidney transplant. "Oh yeah absolutely, it make me hopeful things are going to work out better for me,'' he said.

With a report by CTV British Columbia's Shannon Paterson