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.”

Negaso is a young boy from Ethiopia. He is the third child of his parents. He loves playing football with his friends and wants to attend school. He loves the spinach his mother makes. When he was only one day old, he underwent a emergency colostomy in Butajira Hospital as he was born with a birth condition that leads to intestinal blockage. His mother has a small vegetable business on the streets. At the same time, his father is a daily laborer, and their income is minimal. Negaso wants to go to school and cries when he sees other students go to school by school bus in the morning. His family can't send him to school since he has a colostomy, and they haven't been able to get him the necessary follow-up treatment for his condition. He needs to undergo a series of procedures to eliminate bowel dysfunction. Negaso is now scheduled to undergo surgery to heal his condition on January 4th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, requests $1,500 to cover Negaso's procedure and care. After his recovery, Negaso will no longer experience bowel dysfunction or be at risk of developing severe health complications in the future. His mother said, "I worry that kids would touch his colostomy while I keep him on the street market with me."

Thokozani is a 23-year-old university student from Malawi. He is the fourth born in a family of ten children and the only child in his family who went on to study at the university level. Thokozani is completing a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources Management (Wildlife) and Eco-tourism. His higher education student loans support him, and he lives in a single-room hostel with two friends. In his free time, Thokozani enjoys watching wildlife programs and eating rice served with beef. Thokozani was born with a hernia condition, and in 2020, he started experiencing on-and-off episodes of discomfort. He visited a private hospital where they diagnosed his condition and recommended surgery, but he was unable to afford it and returned to school. In this last year, however, the pain has become too much to handle, causing him to miss classes. His worsening condition is impacting his ability to engage in daily activities and complete his education. Fortunately, Thokozani recently received a text from a friend regarding surgery support that is available with our medical partner. He immediately called the medical center and was able to see a surgeon who confirmed the diagnosis of a left inguinal hernia and the need for him to undergo surgery. A hernia is a condition in which soft tissue bulges through a weak point in the abdominal muscle. If the hernia is left untreated, the size of the protruding intestine might get bigger and become strangulated, leading to the reduction of blood flow to surrounding tissues, which may be life-threatening. Thokozani will undergo surgery on March 6th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is requesting $575 to fund the procedure. Thokozani is hopeful that this surgery will allow him to finally heal and return to school in good health. He is looking forward to his brighter future and making his family proud by being the first to complete university studies. He said, “I can’t wait to concentrate after surgery; kindly help me as I plan to finish the remaining part of my course.”