Meet Andy, a playful two year old boy, living in Kiambu county in Kenya. Andy likes to play, and while on his daily routine, he fell, and injured his right arm. He was taken to a nearby hospital, and was given antibiotics. Later, he was referred to a different hospital for further investigation. The X-rays that were done showed that Andy sustained a fracture of his right arm, and requires surgery urgently. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is seeking $1,224 to fund Andy's surgery, which will enable him to use his arm and hand again. The fracture repair procedure is scheduled to take place on January 19th at AIC Cure International Hospital. “I am appealing for support from well-wishers to help my son undergo surgery and continue with his normal life,” Andy's mother told us.

Ronald is a hard working student. He comes from a family of five, and both his parents are small-scale farmers. They currently live in a rental house with two rooms, and Ronald is the oldest of three children, all of whom are in school. Due to financial constraints, his parents have been unable to seek medical treatment for their son until now. The family is appealing for financial support to help cover the cost of their son's surgery and improve his overall well-being. Since April last year, Ronald has had a hydrocele, which is a swelling in a sensitive area. The swelling causes discomfort and disfigurement. The pain makes it difficult for him to walk to school, and once in school, he is unable to play with other children or concentrate in class. If left untreated, he could develop an infected hydrocele, which could lead to future risks. Fortunately, on April 12th, he will undergo hydrocele repair surgery at our medical partner's care center. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $146 to fund Ronald's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably and confidently. Ronald's father says, “I will be grateful when my son is treated with your support as he will be able to continue with school.”

Isaac is a 37-year-old husband and father to three young children ranging from 2-8 years old. He works as a laborer at a construction site in Nairobi. However, income is tight, as Issac's job has an inconsistent need for laborers and his wife is a stay-at-home mom. On the 13th of April, Isaac was involved in a bad car accident and rushed to our medical partner's care center Kijabe Hospital for emergency care. The car Isaac was in swayed off the road and hit a wall that caused a severe fracture in his right leg. The fracture has made it difficult for him to walk and causes him pain. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), can help. On April 14th, Isaac will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. This procedure will help him regain the ability to walk. AMH is requesting $1,500 to fund his medical procedure. Isaac says, “My family depends on me. I am scared of how to fend for them with this condition. I need the treatment since I cannot work with a broken leg."

Deus is a seven-year-old pupil from Uganda. He is the last born in a family of eleven children and is in primary school grade two. His father and mother are small-scale farmers producing beans and Irish potatoes mainly for home consumption. For one year, Deus has had a right hydrocele. His father reports that he developed a scrotal swelling on his right testis but thought his condition would normalize with time. In January 2023, Deus was brought to Rushoroza hospital and given medication that was not helpful because the swelling started disappearing and reappearing. He does not complain of pains but his father is very much disturbed by the on-and-off swelling which could turn problematic in the future if not treated on time. Fortunately, on March 7th, he will undergo hernia repair surgery at our medical partner's care center. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $170 to fund Deus's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably and confidently. Deus' father says, “My son looks undisturbed by his condition, but anything could happen in the future. He will comfortably return to school after surgery.”

Abity is an adorable 5-year-old boy who loves food and playing with friends. He spends his days playing football and loves to play with toys. He is a shy child in front of new people, and especially likes spending time with his sister and a brother. His mom is a daily laborer finding work whenever she can and his dad has been sick for some years resulting in him leaving his job in a government office. They shared that there are days that his mom gets outside work and there are days that she spends at home. All the children in their family are not able to go to school yet as a result of Abity's health and the financial constraint in the family. Abity's has an abnormally functioning segment of bowel. He has suffered with partial bowel obstruction & other severe symptoms. He now is waiting for a procedure called a coloanal pull through. His parents shared that because of the condition, they are also affected psychologically. Abity's mom hoped that we could help him to finally heal, she said: “His belly was too big before the colostomy and we were so scared and sad. When I was confused as to what I could do, people advised me to go to a charitable organization and the organization brought me here.”

Sophea is a 16-year-old student in grade ten. Sophea has three siblings, and she is the youngest. All three siblings currently study at the secondary school near their home. Her parents have been divorced since she was two years old, so she lives with her mother, who is a construction worker. When she is not studying, she likes to read and spend time with her school friends. Since she can remember, Sophea has had ear infections which have caused a cholesteatoma, or an abnormal skin growth, to develop in the middle ear behind the ear drum. Sophea experiences hearing loss, discharge, and fevers. Doctors has diagnosed an ear condition called microtia, which means she is missing the ear canal. Her mother has taken her to different healers for treatment but it has not improved. It is difficult for her to hear at school, she does not communicate well with friends and family, and often misses school due to infections. This makes her feel shy with strangers. Sophea traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On March 8th, she will undergo a mastoidectomy procedure in her left ear. During this procedure, ENT surgeons will remove the cholesteatoma. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $925 to fund this procedure. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care. She is hopeful that her hearing will improve and she won't have any more infections!

Pascalina is a beautiful five-year-old girl. She's is the second-born in a family of three children, and is always notably friendly to those around her. Both of Pascalina's parents are small scale farmers, while her father also seeks out casual laboring jobs to further help earn a living. Pascalina was born as a healthy child, however when she reached one and a half her parents became concerned. At that age they had expected her to be able to stand up and walk, yet she could not. Pascalina was diagnosed with bilateral genu valgus. This is a condition typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, which often stems from contaminated drinking water. As a result, Pascalina couldn't stand or walk, as her legs were too weak. Her parents tried seeking treatment for her and used medication, but nothing seemed to help. By the time Pascalina had turned three, despite her feeble ability to stand and walk for a short distances at a time, her parents began to notice that her legs were bent inward forming knocking knees. Last year they visited a local hospital in their village seeking treatment, however were then advised to go to a referral hospital that her parents could not afford. A year later, having not received any treatment, Pascalina’s legs had become so impacted that she was unable to walk or stand without crying due to the pain she felt. A local priest advised her parents to seek care at The Plaster House, in Arusha, Tanzania. There, through internal funding, Pascalina was able to have surgery on both legs to help correct them. However, given the severity of her condition, the first surgery was not enough to fully correct her legs. As a result, she needs another surgery to complete her treatment and her parents are asking for help to fund her care. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $880 for corrective surgery for Pascalina. The procedure is scheduled to take place on February 11th. With treatment, Pascalina's mobility will hopefully be restored, which will allow her to walk without pain, and play with her siblings and friends like normal. Her risk of having future complications will decrease as well. Pascalina's mother says, "We could not afford treatment for a long time, but since the first surgery, she has improved. We wish to see her continue improving and be like any other normal child."

Samuel is a shy and cautious 18-month-old boy. He is the youngest child in a family of two children. His older sibling is 13 years old and a student in primary school. His mother is a housewife, while his father is a teacher at a local primary school. In April 2020, immediately after he was born, Samuel was unable to pass stool and was admitted to a local health facility for further evaluation. Since then, he has visited the hospital often for follow-up and has had several procedures to improve his condition. However, he is still unable to pass stool and needs ileostomy surgery to treat his condition. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is helping Samuel to receive treatment. On November 4th, doctors will perform a colostomy procedure and bring Samuel's intestine through his abdomen to form a stoma. This will allow Samuel to pass stool. Now, Samuel's family needs help raising $1,152 to fund his procedure and care. Samuel father shared, "our kid is straining a lot. His life is in danger if not attended to."

Zin is a 15-year-old boy who lives with his parents and two younger sisters in Tak Province in Thailand. He and his sisters are all students. His father is an agriculture day laborer and his mother is a homemaker. In his free time, Zin likes to play football with his friends. He also helps his father with his work when he has time to earn pocket money. Early morning on December 28th, Zin and his friend rode out on his friend's motorcycle to the field to help Zin's father. While driving on the dirt road, Zin's friend suddenly lost control and their motorcycle slide off the road. Zin, who was sitting behind his friend, hit his leg against a metal post beside the road andthey both fell off the motorcycle. Currently, Zin is experiencing a lot of pain in his left thigh and hip. He cannot move his leg, walk, nor go to the bathroom by himself. With the help of our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, Zin will undergo surgery to reset his fractured bones and ensure proper healing. The emergency procedure is scheduled for December 28th and will cost $1,500. This treatment will help Zin heal, regain mobility in his left leg, and live pain free. He will be able to take care of himself again without requiring help from others. Zin's mother said, "I was very worried when I learned that I would need to deposit a large amount of money so that my son could receive surgery. We do not even have enough money to buy enough food to last us until the end of the month. I really needed your help and I was extremely happy when I saw your staff and was told that donors could help pay for my son's treatment! Thank you in advance to all the donors and the organization for helping my son!"

Nembris is a charming and curious 16-month-old baby. She's the only child in her family. Nembris’s parents work as subsistence farmers and shared that they need assistance with the cost of Nembris’s treatment. Nembris has clubfoot of her left foot. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape, which causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, her family traveled to the care center at our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH). On December 7th, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery, which will allow Nembris to walk easily upon recovery. AMHF is requesting $935 to fund this procedure. Nembris’s mother shared, “I would be very glad if my daughter can walk without difficulty and if her leg will look normal like other kids. I lost hope...Please help us.”

Sheila is a 13-year-old bright and outgoing girl. She is a partial orphan who lives with a guardian that helped to rescue her from a difficult situation growing up. Sheila lives at a special place alongside 10 other children who come from a similar background. Her guardian says that Sheila's clubfoot condition limits her from her potential. Sheila was born with clubfoot and the condition has affected her mobility and lowered her self-esteem in a way that she cannot connect with her peers. Her guardian and family are not financially able to support the surgery and are appealing for financial assistance. Fortunately, Sheila traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, AIC Cure International Hospital. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on December 6th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,286 to fund Sheila's clubfoot repair. After treatment, Sheila will be able to easily interact with her peers and have a high self-esteem. Her guardian says, “I would very much appreciate the support that may be provided for Sheila's care. She will be able to explore her full potential.”

Somanith is a 17-year-old university student. She is the oldest child in her family and has two siblings: an 8-year-old brother in 2nd grade and a 12-year-old sister in 4th grade. Somanith is in her first year at university, where she is studying accounting. Her father works for the government, and her mother stays at home to care for her siblings. Somanith likes to read books, exercise, and meet up with friends in her free time. Six months ago, Somanith noticed swelling on the left side of her face and thought it was from her wisdom tooth. She received a biopsy at the government hospital, which revealed she has a mass called ameloblastoma. Somanith is experiencing swelling and pain and is concerned with how quickly the mass has grown. Specialty surgeons will need to perform an excision and histology to determine her future treatment. When Somanith learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), she traveled across the country for eight hours seeking treatment. On December 7th, surgeons at CSC will perform an excision to remove the mass and help Somanith feel comfortable again. CSC is requesting $657 to fund her procedure. Somanith shared that she is hopeful the tumor will be easily removed and the biopsy will be benign.