Janet is a 17-year-old woman from Uganda. She was unable to complete her education past primary school because her parents could not afford school fees. She works with her mother on a farm. During her free time, Janet enjoys babysitting children. When Janet visited our medical partner, The Kellermann Foundation, she was expecting her first child. She learned that she was at high risk of complications during labor. She needed to undergo a hospital birth with a skilled attendant. On November 4, Janet checked into our medical partner's hospital to prepare for delivery. Though she has contributed $8 to her care, she needs help to pay her remaining $241 medical bill. “A safe delivery is mother’s prayer," says Janet. "I can’t afford to support myself to have it. I thank the people that are contributing towards my delivery. May God bless you."

Shadrack is a five-month-old boy from Kenya. He was born with hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain. Shadrack is the youngest in a family of two children. When he was two months old, his mother noticed that his head was rapidly increasing in size. She notified a medic during a pediatric checkup, and a scan revealed the excess fluid in his head. They were referred to our medical partner's hospital, Bethany Kids Kijabe Hospital, for specialized treatment. On December 8, Shadrack underwent a shunt insertion, during which doctors inserted a device to drain the fluid from his brain. Shadrack lives with his older brother and parents in a one-room rental house. His mother is a housewife, while his father is a fisherman. They cannot afford to pay for healthcare. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $685 to fund this procedure. Shadrack's mother is relieved that her son is receiving care. "We love him so much, and it hurts so much to see him cry in anguish," she says.

Meet Gideon, an ambitious teenager about to begin his final year of high school. Gideon has been diagnosed with osteosarcoma of the mandible. He has a cancerous swelling in his jaw. Gideon first noticed the swelling in April. He cannot chew food, and he has not been able to attend school. Fortunately, on December 6, he underwent a flap surgery to remove and replace his mandible. Gideon lives in a house made of mud and grass. His parents are farmers, and he has five siblings. His older brother has paid Gideon's school fees with savings from his motorcycle-transport business. His family has raised $500 to pay for his surgery, but they need help to pay the remaining $1,500 medical bill. Treatment will reduce the chance of cancer metastasis. Gideon will be able to return to school, where he hopes to excel in his final year exams. “I want to be well," he says, "and continue with my education as a normal student with fewer health complications."

Chim is twelve years old and in the nine grade. He has three sisters and one brother. He likes to play games, watch cartoons on TV, and play around his home. In April 2016, Chim was in a motor vehicle accident that caused a fracture in his jaw bone. He visited a hospital in Phnom Penh, where surgeons implanted a wire to hold the bone fragments together. After that surgery, Chim had difficulty opening his mouth, and he was in pain. When his family learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), they traveled for five hours to seek treatment. On November 30, surgeons at CSC removed the wire from his previous surgery. This procedure will relieve Chim's pain. Now, his family needs help to pay his $411 medical bill. Chim's father shares, "I hope that my son will be able to open his mouth and eat more easily without feeling pain."

Zin Phyo is a four-year-old girl who was diagnosed with a neurogenic bladder. She lives with her parents, sister, brother, and grandmother. A few years ago, they moved to a town in which Zin Phyo’s father is a Muslim leader. Her mother cares for the household. Her brother is in fifth grade, and her sister studies the Quran from home. Zin Phyo was born with urinary dysfunction. Throughout her life, her family has managed her condition with traditional medicine. When she was two months old, she developed problems with her feet. She underwent casting, orthopedic surgery, and physical therapy to help her walk. Unfortunately, her parents spent all of their savings on these treatments. Recently, Zin Phyo’s family visited our medical partner’s hospital to seek treatment for her urinary condition. On November 7, she underwent an MRI to confirm her diagnosis. This test will allow her doctor to formulate a personalized treatment plan. Now, her family needs help to pay her $814 medical bill. "I grew up in clinics and hospitals,” says Zin Phyo, “and I want to be a doctor when I grow up.”