Nicholaus is a young boy from a family of five living in Tanzania. His parents are local farmers who practice subsistence farming. They try to provide for the family, but it has been hard for them to provide the basic needs. They sometimes live on one meal a day, and shared that buying clothes for their children is difficult. When Nicholaus was two years old, he fell into a pit of hot ashes, burning his right hand. The parents applied honey on the wound and left it to heal. They got rid of the open wound, but it left the boy with a burn scar contracture on his right hand. They live in a remote area where it is hard to access social services like medical care. The contractures tighten the area around the burn, and it is now hard for him to move the hand especially around the wrist and part of the fingers. Nicholaus' parents have tried seeking professional medical opinion for their son before, but have not been able to afford the recommended treatment. When they heard about Friends of the Plaster House (ALMC), they were hopeful, and travelled over 600 km to seek assistance for their son. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Nicholaus receive treatment. On October 12th, surgeons at their care center will perform a burn contracture release surgery to help him move his hand easily. Now, he needs help to fund this $874 procedure. Nicholaus’s mother says “We left home with hope that when he comes back, his hand will be okay."

Agnes is a college student and is in her final year pursuing an architectural course. She lives with her parents and is the second born in a family of three children, all of whom are in school and rely on their parents for school fees and upkeep. Her father is a carpenter in their hometown, Kimende, and his income is inconsistent and not enough to cover the cost of the required surgery. Her mother is a small-scale farmer. Agnes was heading home in the evening last night when she remembers hearing screams and was hit by an unknown motorist from behind. She has no recollection of what happened after that. She lost consciousness and could not recognize her surroundings. She was brought to our medical partner's care center Kijabe Hospital and had an x-ray that revealed a left distal femur fracture. Doctors have recommended an urgent fracture repair surgery since the wound is open and she is in extreme pain. Today, she has regained her consciousness but cannot sit or walk due to the fracture. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner are here to help. On October 14th, Agnes will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. This procedure will help get rid of the pain and she will eventually be able to sit and walk easily again. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,500 to fund this procedure. Agnes says, “I am in so much pain and I cannot walk. I don’t remember what happened, I just found myself bedridden with lights all over. I am unable to go back home because of the fracture.”

Alpha is a recent graduate from her internship in medicine and surgery and is currently volunteering at Ruhija Health Centre in southwestern Uganda where her husband works as a nurse. Alpha is a mother to a four-year-old girl who is currently in preschool. Their family does not have a house of their own yet, but are able to stay in the facility's staff quarters. During her free time, Alpha enjoys spending time with her daughter. Four years ago ago, Alpha began to experience troubling symptoms, including severe lower abdominal pains. Alpha was first treated for infections twice after the delivery of her daughter. Alpha then started experiencing pain that was so severe that at times it leads to fainting. Alpha has been diagnosed with a right complex ovarian cystic mass. Alpha's day-to-day duties have been greatly impacted due to persistent abdominal pain. If not treated, Alpha could develop ovarian cancer and could fail to conceive again. Alpha needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is helping Alpha receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a surgery to remove cancerous tissue on June 7th and AMH is raising $284 to fund Alpha's procedure. Alpha shared, “I pray that I may be considered for treatment because I can no longer practice my profession comfortably due to severe pain. I hope to get well again through surgery.”

Abi is a one-year-old baby from Ethiopia who loves to play with his mother. His father serves in their church, and his mother is a homemaker. His parents share that their income is limited and only supports their basic day-to-day needs. Abi's parents also share that he was born prematurely, along with his twin sister, who unfortunately passed away after birth. Since birth, Abi has had a bilateral inguinal hernia, a condition that results from weakness in the abdominal wall, as well as hypospadias, which will need treatment in the future. The hernia causes him to experience irritability, pain, discomfort, and a reduced appetite. Despite his mother traveling to multiple different hospitals in attempts to have her son treated, he still has not received his much-needed hernia repair surgery due to his family's financial constraints. Fortunately, Abi will finally undergo hernia repair surgery on August 16th with the help of our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). Now, AMHF is requesting $591 to fund Abi's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably and confidently. His mother shares, “We are having a hard time since the birth of Abi. He is suffering, and we couldn’t get him the treatment. I am always afraid of losing him, as I lost his twin sister. He can’t sit, and I am worried it’s because of his condition. He vomits the food I feed him. But since I got here, I have hope that he will get the treatment and heal. I hope he will sit and eat well after the surgery.”

Nelvis is a very playful baby boy and the only child in his family. He was born when his mother was still a student in secondary school, form three. She had to take a break from her studies for some time to take care of her newborn baby. They do not receive any support from his father. Early this year, she resumed schooling and Nelvis is under the care of her aunt. When he was born, Nelvis' mother first noticed that something seemed different for Nelvis and his aunt also shared the concern. Nelvis’ grandmother advised them to bring him to BethanyKids Hospital for treatment. Upon arrival, he was examined and diagnosed with cryptorchidism where one or both of the testes fail to descend. The medical team has recommended surgery to cure his condition. If left untreated, Nelvis has an increased risk of developing hernias, testicular cancer, and fertility problems in the future. Nelvis will be receiving assistance from our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH). Fortunately, he is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on June 21st. Now, Nelvis and his family need help raising $646 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. Nelvis' mother says, “When I learned that my son needed surgery, I was very much worried and stressed out as I have no money to cater for the surgery.”

Reach is an inquisitive two-year-old toddler from Cambodia who loves playing with toy cars and eating his favorite meal: fried meat with milk! He has an older sister, who is in primary school. His father works as a policeman, and his mother works as a seller at the local market. When Reach grows up, he wants to be a policeman just like his father! For about a year, Reach has been experiencing fevers, snoring, a sore throat, and difficulty swallowing and drinking. Despite his mother taking him to multiple medical clinics, his condition has not improved. Reach was recently diagnosed with enlarged tonsils and adenoids. If not treated, his symptoms will persist and possibly intensify over time. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $265 to fund a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy for Reach. On August 8th, surgeons will remove his tonsils and adenoids, hopefully relieving him of his symptoms and helping him live much more comfortably. Reach's parents share that they hope he will feel better soon and sleep easily at night.