Saw Ta is a 36-year-old farmer who lives with his wife and eight children in a village in Karen State, Burma. Saw Ta plants chili and cardamom and volunteers as a community development worker in his area. The family also raises chickens, goats, and pigs. Saw Ta has a heart condition that requires the replacement of the aortic and mitral heart valves and the repair of the tricuspid valve. These valves control the blood flow between the chambers of the heart and are necessary to prevent long-term damage to the heart and lungs. Saw Ta gets tired easily and experiences heart palpitations when he is working, requiring him to take frequent periods of rest. As he cannot work long hours on the farm, he stays home to take care of his children while his wife goes out to work. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 for the complex surgery that Saw Ta's condition requires. The procedure is scheduled to take place at Kasemrad Prachachuen Hospital on April 10th, and once completed, will hopefully allow Saw Ta to live a fuller and healthier life. Saw Ta said: "After treatment, I will go back to help my wife on the farm, and also continue to volunteer in my community. Now, because of my heart condition, my wife has to do all the work at home and I feel sorry for her."

Mpapa is a 61-year-old man from a village in Malawi. He has four married children and lives with his wife and grandchildren. When he was young, Mpapa needed to stop attending primary school making it hard for him to secure a job. He depends on farming where he grows maize and groundnuts for his family and for commercial purposes to support their day-to-day costs. Mpapa was diagnosed with an enlarged prostate and scheduled for surgery with our medical partner at Nkhoma Hospital. However, he cannot afford the entire cost of the surgery. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $530 to fund the balance payment for his surgery. Mpapa says, “I hope to receive treatment and resume life without this condition.”

Bopha is an 18-year-old student who lives in Kandal province with her parents, who are rice farmers. Bopha is the youngest child of three; she has two brothers, one is still in school and one is a teacher. She studies in grade 12, and dreams of going to a university to be a teacher like her brother. At home, she likes to read books. For two years, Bopha has been experiencing a sore throat, difficulty swallowing, difficulty breathing at night, sore throat, and fever. Her parents took her to a private clinic where they got medicine that did not help her to feel better. She has difficulty going to school and paying attention in class because she feels unwell and doesn't sleep well. Bopha was recently diagnosed with enlarged tonsils and adenoids, which, if not treated, will cause her symptoms to persist and possibly intensify over time. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $265 to fund a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy for Bopha, which is scheduled to take place on January 3rd. Surgeons will remove her tonsils and adenoids, hopefully relieving Bopha of her symptoms and helping her live much more comfortably. Bopha said: "I hope after this operation I will feel good and will stop having a sore throat."