Clementina is a ten-year-old student and the youngest in a family of four children. She is a loving girl who enjoys playing with babies, especially her neighbours'. Her mother says she would wake up in the morning and ask right away for permission to go see her neighbour’s baby. She is also a hard-working girl. She helps her mother clean the house and cleaning dishes. She cleans her own clothes too sometimes. Clementina was born with spina bifida, a type of neural tube defect in which the spine does not properly close around the spinal cord. Without treatment, Clementina is at risk of lower-limb paralysis, infection of the exposed nervous tissue, development of tethered cord syndrome, and possible developmental delays. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMH), is requesting $1,015 to cover the cost of Clementina's spina bifida closure surgery. The procedure is scheduled to take place on August 9th. This procedure will hopefully spare Clementina from the risks associated with her condition, instead allowing her to grow and develop along a healthy trajectory. Clementina’s mother says, "We never knew the condition needed treatment all these years. But we are thankful that she is able to stand and walk. She has been scheduled for surgery but the cost is too high for us to afford please help."

Oudom is a 33-year-old man who works in a printing shop in Cambodia's capital city of Phnom Penh. He lives nearby with his retired parents. In his free time, Oudom enjoys playing chess and gardening. Five years ago, Oudom had an ear infection that caused the tympanic membrane, or the ear drum, in his left ear to perforate. Because of this, Oudom experiences tinnitus, ear discharge, and hearing loss. He cannot communicate clearly with others. Oudom traveled to visit our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), to receive treatment. On July 5tg, he will undergo a myringoplasty procedure in his left ear. During this procedure, surgeons will close the perforation. Now, Oudom needs $464 to fund this procedure, which covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care. Oudom shared, "I hope the discharge will finally stop and my hearing can improve."

Htoo is a 12-year-old girl who lives with her parents, two older sisters, an older brother and a younger brother in a refugee camp on the Thai-Burma border. Htoo’s father works as a construction worker while Htoo's mother is a homemaker and looks after Htoo's younger brother who is too young to go to school. Htoo and her older siblings study in the camp. Every month, the family receives oil, rice and charcoal rations, but they shared that the rations are unfortunately not enough to cover their daily needs. They also receive free basic health care and education in the refugee camp. In her free time, Htoo likes to play with her friends and help her mother clean. Htoo was born with a small mass in a sensitive area. At the time, Htoo's mother was told not to worry about the mass. However, beginning in 2016, Htoo noticed the mass increasing in size and she could no longer pass urine comfortably. A medic at the camp's hospital examined the mass and determined that it is benign and recommends it is surgically treated for Htoo's comfort and peace of mind. Htoo is receiving treatment through our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF) and she is scheduled to undergo mass removal surgery on June 6th. Now, their family is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of her procedure and care. Htoo shared, “in the future, I want to finish my schooling and become a teacher in the camp. I want to teach Karen [language].”

“I will be happy to see my health restored so that I can continue tending to my family and farm," Bampata told us as he shared his story. He is a married 71-year-old man and a father to 13 children. He practices small scale farming on his banana and coffee plantation and also raises cows for the family's daily needs. For three years, Bampata has had left inguinal swelling, but the pain has worsened over the past month. Due to the pain, he no longer tends to the farm and experiences pain when bending down or attempting to lift heavy loads. When Bampata visited our medical partner's care center, he was diagnosed with a left inguinal hernia and hernia repair surgery was recommended. Without treatment, Bampata will continue experiencing pain and there is a chance that the hernia could become strangulated. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is requesting $230 to fund Bampata's surgery. On April 20th, he will undergo hernia repair surgery at AMH's care center. Once complete, this procedure will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably and confidently.

Naw Mu is a five-year-old girl who lives with her family in a refugee camp in Northern Thailand. Naw Mu, her older brother and older sister are all primary school students. Her mother is a homemaker and her father works as a day laborer outside of the camp when he can. Her parents also look after a small shop in the camp. Her family's combined income is just enough to cover their family expenses and are grateful they can receive basic healthcare and education in the camp. On April 8th, Naw Mu was playing with her friends when she fell to the ground and injured her left arm. Her mother immediately took her to the hospital in the camp, run by Malteser International Thailand. When the medics examined her arm, they suspected that Naw Mu's forearm was fractured and referred her to another hospital to confirm her diagnosis. After Naw Mu received an x-ray, the doctor confirmed that Naw Mu's radius and ulna bones are broken. Currently, Naw Mu is experiencing pain in her left arm and has to take pain medication to have comfort and to sleep. She cannot lift her left hand or move it around. Fortunately, with the help of our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, Naw Mu will undergo surgery to reset her fractured bones and ensure proper healing. The procedure is scheduled for April 9th and will cost $1,500. With this treatment, she will no longer be in pain and she will be able to move her hand and arm fully again in the future. Naw Mu's father shared, “my daughter loves to play outsides with her friends and watching cartoon clips on the phone. After she receives surgery, I hope that she is able to play with her friends again.”

Gody is a two-month-old baby boy from Tanzania. He is the youngest of his mother's two children, and one of his father's five children. Gody's father works at a butcher shop and is able to get by and support his family. Gody has clubfoot of both feet. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, Gody traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on February 16th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $935 to fund Gody's clubfoot repair. After treatment, he will be able to walk easily. Gody’s mother shared, “we had a little money that we thought we could use to treat our baby but all that money has been used up with no successful treatment. Kindly help correct my baby’s feet.”

Guyo is a 2-year-old boy from Ethiopia. He has three siblings. Guyo's parents are from a rural area and make a humble living. His uncle, who brought Guyo to Watsi's Partner Care Center BethanyKids Hospital, helps to raise Guyo. Guyo is a sweet, outgoing boy who loves to play with his friends and siblings. He also loves playing with dogs. Guyo was born with hypospadias, a congenital abnormality that causes urinary dysfunction. Without treatment, he will continue to experience uncomfortable symptoms and will be at risk of infertility. Fortunately, Guyo is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on February 9th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,293 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. Once recovered, he will no longer have any pain or discomfort and can return to happily playing with his friends. His uncle shared, “I believe if he is treated well, he will be good psychologically in the future. And all the family will be happy. I hope he will be a doctor in the future and help his community.”

Shabani is a 3-year-old child from Tanzania. Shabani is the youngest in a family of three children. He is a cheerful and happy boy despite his leg condition, which makes things difficult for him. Shabani’s father is a local fisherman who makes a small amount of income to support their family. Shabani was diagnosed with left genu varus, or bowleggedness. This condition causes his leg to be bowed inward at the knee. It is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, which often stems from contaminated drinking water. As a result, he has a difficult time walking around normally. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $880 to fund corrective surgery for Shabani. The procedure is scheduled to take place on January 5th. Treatment will hopefully restore Shabani's mobility, allow him to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease his risk of future complications. Shabani’s father shared, “We are not happy to see our son suffer this way. Hospitals have become very expensive and we are unable to afford the cost. Please help support our child.”

Rin is a 76-year-old farmer from Cambodia. She has three daughters and nine grandchildren. Her husband passed away nearly 20 years ago, and now she lives with her middle daughter. She is mostly retired now, and spends most of her time with her grandchildren, telling them stories and cooking meals for them. In her free time she likes to listen to prayers by the monks on the radio. Ten years ago, Rin developed a cataract in her left eye, causing her blurry vision and tearing. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, and going anywhere outside. When Rin learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled there seeking treatment. On August 10th, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in her left eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $229 procedure. Rin said, "My hope is that after surgery I can see well enough to do my sewing again. I want to make some clothes for my grandchildren."

Sonita is a four-year-old preschool student from Cambodia. She is the only child in her family, her parents are Khmer teachers. In her free time she enjoys playing with toys and reading books. One year ago, Sonita had an ear infection. This infection caused a cholesteatoma, or an abnormal skin growth, to develop in the middle ear behind the ear drum. For this reason, Sonita experiences hearing loss, ear discharge, bad odor, and pain. It is difficult for her to communicate with others, and she often misses school due to the ear discharge. Sonita traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On December 9th, she will undergo a mastoidectomy procedure in her right 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. Sonita's mother said, "I hope after surgery her ear pain will be gone, the discharge will finally stop, and her hearing will improve."

Kupha is a 45-year-old woman from Kenya and has six children. In 2014, Kupha started experiencing some pain in her upper jaw. After some time, her jaw started to swell and the pain worsened. Both cold and hot food triggered pain that would last day and night. She went to a nearby facility in Kwale County to seek care, and was given some pain medication that worked for a while. She later returned for a surgery to remove the swollen tissue. Though she recovered well, the following year, Kupha started experiencing pain and swelling again. Upon returning to the same facility for a checkup, the doctor told her that no further treatment could be done. A few years later, Kupha heard about Kijabe Hospital and came for an examination in January 2020. The doctors diagnosed her with a benign maxillary mass and scheduled her for an excision surgery. During the surgery, they will put in a plate and screws to hold together her maxillar. However, Kupha and her family are not able to raise funds needed for the surgery. After the death of her husband a few years ago, Kupha has been struggling to provide for her six children. Her firstborn son is the main breadwinner of the family and also attends college, partially sponsored by the county government of Kwale. He does some casual jobs when he is not in class to feed the family, and also facilitates his mother's hospital visits. Kupha was able to raise some money for her treatment, but she does not have enough financial support and appeals for help. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,500 to cover the cost of Kupha's surgery. The procedure is scheduled to take place on October 15th and will be a ten hour long surgery. Hopefully, this treatment will alleviate her of further severe pain and swelling. Kupha shared, “With the pain that I have endured over the years, it has made it difficult for me to look for work and provide for my family. I will be happy when I receive the required treatment for my condition.”

Carrison is a 7-year-old boy from Kenya, the firstborn in a family of three children. His mother told us how much he likes playing with other children. Their family hails from Kimana village in Kajiado county where his mother vends vegetables while his father is a farmer. Carrison was born with diplegic CP, a condition that affects his muscles making them stiff, especially in his legs. The condition has made his walking difficult and forces him to walk on his toes. This often leads to him falling and not being able to walk for longer distances. He has been receiving therapy sessions at a nearby district hospital. When reviewed by our partner doctors, they recommend he also has an achilles tendon lengthening surgery. The surgery will allow him to walk comfortably and with a better posture. His mother was shocked by the money required for surgery and requests assistance. Fortunately, Carrison traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, AIC Cure International Hospital. There, surgeons will perform surgery on October 12th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,286 to fund Carrison's foot surgery. After treatment, he will be able to walk more easily. “I am appealing to AMHF for my son to undergo surgery. My desire is to see him walking comfortably without any hardship.” Carrison's mother expressed.