Sok Len and his family come from Prey Veng province. His father manufactures water barrels and his mother is a homemaker. Sok Len has one 6-year-old older brother in grade one. At home, he likes to help his mother with the groceries and play with toy cars. His favorite meal is his mother's soup. Sok Len was born with macrodactyly of the left great and second toes on his left foot. Macrodactyly is a condition where toes or fingers are abnormally large due to the overgrowth of bone and soft tissue. His parents are worried that as he grows, he may have difficulty walking, wearing shoes, and being teased by other kids when he starts school. Because his family could not afford private care, a clinic referred them to our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, for diagnosis and treatment. Doctors at CSC have determined that two of his toes need to be amputated to avoid further disfigurement. Surgery has been scheduled for January 29th. Now, his parents need assistance with the cost of the $479 which will support the cost of surgery, medications, hospitalization, and physical therapy post-operatively. His mother said: "I hope his toe does not keep growing, and he will be able to keep up with other children when he starts school."

Happiness's baby is a newborn who is barely two weeks old. Happiness and her husband, James, have been blessed with a new baby, expanding their family to two children. They reside in Morombo, located in the Arusha region of Tanzania. Happiness is a stay-at-home mother managing the household and caring for their children, while James works diligently on their farm to provide food and sells surplus harvests for additional income. In addition to farming, James seeks casual day jobs to supplement their finances, yet despite their efforts, they find their income insufficient to cover all expenses. At times, they struggle to afford medical bills, particularly when faced with a poor harvest, making providing adequate meals for the family challenging. Happiness's baby was born with clubfoot of both feet, causing his feet to twist inward and downward. Concerned for their son’s future, the parents sought advice from the attending doctor, who recommended seeking treatment, as the condition is treatable. They were referred to our medical partner's care center for help. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, Happiness traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, Kafika House. There, the team will begin clubfoot treatment on February 16th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $935 to fund Happiness's baby's clubfoot repair. After treatment and as he grows, the baby will be able to wear shoes and walk properly. Happiness says: “I want my baby to grow up with normal feet and never bear the burden of the condition he is born with.”

Elizabeth, who is seven months old, lives with her parents and two older brothers in a small house in Haiti, that they share with other relatives. Both of her parents are farmers. Elizabeth has a cardiac condition called atrioventricular septal defect. A large hole exists in the center of her heart, which affects all four of the heart's chambers. Blood leaks through this hole without passing through her lungs to obtain oxygen, leaving Elizabeth weak and unable to gain weight. Elizabeth will fly to the Dominican Republic to receive treatment. As she is too small and weak to undergo major surgery to completely correct her condition, on April 9th she will have a procedure, during which the doctors at Hospital CEDIMAT will implant a shunt, that will allow oxygenated blood to circulate through her body. This will stabilize Elizabeth's condition so that she can continue to grow and gain weight until she can more safely undergo a complete repair in several years. While another organization is contributing money to pay for Elizabeth's surgery, our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, is seeking your help to fund the $1,500 needed to cover the costs of Elizabeth's pre and post-operative care and for the documents and travel costs for Elizabeth, her family, and the social workers that will accompany the family. Elizabeth's mother said: "Our daughter's heart condition has been very stressful for our family, and we are very thankful to know that there may be a way to solve it!"