Amina is a 11-year-old girl from Musoma region in Tanzania, the seventh child in a family of ten siblings. Her parents are small-scale farmers who rely solely on their harvest for sustenance and income generation. They often struggle to meet their needs, and climate change has resulted in poor harvests over the past year. About a year ago, Amina developed a swelling on her chin. Initially, it was considered insignificant as it did not bother her, but over time, the swelling grew larger and began to cause her significant discomfort when she was eating. This prompted concerns from her parents, who initially sought advice from a nearby pharmacy. However, the cream provided proved ineffective. Consequently, the family took her to a nearby hospital, where she was diagnosed with a mass requiring surgical removal. Due to financial constraints, her parents could not afford Amina's treatment so they went back home. Sometime later, the outreach team of our medical partner's care center visited their village, and the family was directed to Kafika House for further review and treatment. The team also assisted the family with transportation costs as they could not afford it. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Amina receive treatment. On April 2nd, surgeons will remove the mass and ease Amina's symptoms. Now, Amina's family needs help to fund this $724 procedure. Amina's mother says: “Please help with my daughter’s treatment. I hope she recovers from this condition so that it won’t be a problem as she grows older.”

Theare is a 15-year-old student from Cambodia. He has two older brothers and they live with their grandmother and cousins in Battambang province. His parents are divorced and his mother works in a clothing factory in another province to support her children. In school, he is in grade five and enjoys classes about Khmer history. He would like to be a teacher when he is older. At home, he enjoys soccer, but cannot play due to his condition. Two years ago, he was riding with his brother on a motorbike and fell, suffering a severe injury to his left tibia or shin. His leg became red, swollen, and painful. His grandmother took him to a local hospital, where he had several different surgeries. Unfortunately, none of the surgeries repaired his leg and has since been diagnosed with a delayed union fracture or a fracture that will not heal without intervention. The local surgeons told his grandmother they could not do any more surgery to fix his leg as Theare needed a more complicated procedure that would entail internal fixation and bone grafting. His current condition hinders his mobility, forcing him to rely on crutches and endure constant pain, impeding his ability to keep up with school and indulge in his love for soccer. When Theare learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for six hours seeking treatment. On March 12th, surgeons at CSC will perform a joint arthrodesis procedure to fuse his left tibia and to correct the non-union. This will help him walk unaided and help relieve the pain. Now, Theare needs help to fund this $600 procedure. Theare said, "I hope to walk with no pain and continue my schooling."

Myint, a 62-year-old woman, resides in Thailand with her husband and six children: five daughters and one son. Only one of her daughters is employed, while the rest of her siblings are unemployed. Her employed daughter works as a domestic worker in Bangkok, and usually sends financial support of approximately $200 USD each month to support the entire family's needs. The financial support is barely enough for expenses like food and basic healthcare. Myint visited our medical partner's care center experiencing stomach aches, itchy skin, and a yellowing of her eyes and skin. Doctors advised her to undergo a CT scan, a procedure in which x-ray images taken from several angles are combined to produce cross-sectional images of the body. The scan would hopefully help them diagnose her condition and formulate an appropriate treatment plan. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is helping Myint with her care, and is requesting $414 to cover the cost of Myint's CT scan, scheduled for April 1st. Myint said, "I have itchy skin, yellow eyes, I am unable to sleep well, I've lost my appetite and experience stomach aches. I cannot cook or carry firewood anymore. I am stressed because I am worried that I will not recover from my symptoms."