James is 13 years old teenager. He hails from Loseit, Longido district. James belongs to a midsized family comprising of both parents and four siblings, all of whom are being raised by their parents. James’ parents are farmers who rely on small-scale agriculture and livestock for sustenance. The family’s financial stability is often supplemented by selling cattle, providing the necessary funds to cover home expenses. Despite the family’s modest means, James is a dedicated student pursuing his primary education. In addition to his studies, he actively assists his siblings in cattle grazing activities at home. However, he faces a unique challenge as he was born with a congenital condition called clubfoot – his left foot is twisted inward. This condition makes walking uncomfortable for him, occasionally leading to school absences due to the pain associated with walking. Unfortunately, seeking medical treatment for James has been a challenge for his parents. Limited access to quality healthcare and financial constraints have hindered their ability to take him to a well-equipped hospital for the necessary treatment. Recognizing the severity of James’ condition, his father engaged with their village leader to address the issue. Together, they sought a solution to facilitate the required treatment for James. With contributions from his family, James, accompanied by the village leader, travelled to Arusha City in search of treatment. Fortunately, James's family traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, Kafika House. There, the team will begin clubfoot treatment on December 29th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $935 to fund James's clubfoot repair. After treatment, his mobility will improve significantly. James’s guardian says: “I hope this will make it easy for him to attend school and help his family. I also hope his parents will be at ease after he gets treatment.”

Babi is a cute toddler from Ethiopia. He is an only child and loves to play with toy cars; he pushes the toy making the sound 'uuuuuvvvv', saying it's a car. His father, who has a 5th-grade education, used to work in the horticulture industry as a laborer, but he lost his wife a year back to tuberculosis and has been trying to balance everything on his own. After his mom's death, Babi had no one to take care of him besides his dad, so his dad decided to leave his job to take care of his child and try to get him the necessary treatment. Babi experienced a bowel obstruction, and he got three surgeries at Negele Arsi General Hospital, but he still had complications with his bowel. There is a small window for corrective surgery, but colostomy closure is preferred since the opening is too small. Babi's father has suffered with the whole process and feels he is highly affected psychologically as Babi cannot make a stool in a normal way. Earlier, Babi underwent a colostomy, in which the end of the colon is brought through an opening in the abdominal wall. This surgery is often performed to bypass bowel malformations, but colostomies are usually temporary and may call for closure. In Babi's case, his colostomy requires closure to restore bowel function and prevent future complications. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,009 to cover Babi's colostomy closure cost. Once completed, he can grow up more comfortably and confidently. Babi's dad said, "After he gets the treatment and heals, I hope he will go to school and lead a good life in the future."

20-year old-Evans, who recently finished school and began working as a motorbike rider, lives in Kenya with his parents and two younger siblings, who are still in school. Evans was riding his motorbike on March 4th, 2023, when he was hit from the side by another vehicle. He was not able to stand on his own or to bear weight on his left leg following the incident. In addition, he lost a significant amount of skin on his leg and foot. Bleeding and in severe pain, Evans was rushed to a facility in Kiambu town where an X-ray was performed. The results revealed a fractured bone that required immediate attention. While Evans' wounds were debrided and irrigated, he was told that he is in need of skin grafting and additional debridement to prevent infection. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Evans receive treatment. On March 17th, surgeons at AIC Kijabe Hospital will perform a debridement and skin graft procedure to help prevent infection and save his leg. Now Evans needs your help to fund this $1,185 procedure. Evans says: “I had just started this boda-boda job to help my parents. Unfortunately, I got into an accident that made me unable to walk. I need this surgery to heal this wound.”

Nang is a 40-year-old woman from Burma. She lives with her husband and son in a camp for people who are internally displaced due to conflict in her country. Her husband is a day laborer, while she looks after their son at home. A few years ago, Nang accidentally cut off her left index and middle finger while chopping wood. Unable to afford a hospital or clinic, she wrapped her injury in a cloth and tried to treat herself with traditional medicine. Over time, the wound became infected, and the infection spread up her hand. She later had her arm amputated below her left elbow at the IDP camp clinic. However, the wound never healed fully and became re-infected. Doctors want Nang to undergo an MRI, a scan which will hopefully help doctors fully diagnose her condition and formulate an appropriate treatment plan. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $814 to cover the cost of Nang's MRI and care, scheduled for March 6th. She said, “I feel sad about my condition. I am looking forward to getting treatment or surgery at the Hospital. I would like to thank the organization BCMF as I am happy to have the opportunity to receive treatment for my wound."

Ruth is an 11-year-old girl from the Eastern region of Kenya. She is in Grade 5 and is the youngest of three children. Her father is a local farmer and her mother mother is a homemaker. They live in a traditional mud house. She is a jovial and social young girl who aspires to become a doctor in the future so that she can help children in need of different treatments. When Ruth was 7 years old, her mother began to notice an unusual knee deformity which greatly affected her mobility. Her walking style is characterized by limping, and she cannot walk long distances. This has greatly affected her studies, as she is unable to attend school which is quite a distance away. Ruth is scheduled for a knee repair surgery with our medical partner African Mission Healthcare (AMH) on July 17th. Ruth and her family are requesting $1,224 to fully fund the procedure. This surgery will enable her to walk without pain and to attend school. It will also greatly boost her self-esteem and enable her to interact with her friends at school. Ruth’s mother said, “I am pleading for support for my daughter to undergo surgery and continue with her normal life like other children.”

Mameulove is a 10th-grade student from Haiti. She lives with her parents and three siblings in a neighborhood of Port-au-Prince. In addition to studying, Mameulove helps her parents with their ironwork business. Mameulove has a cardiac condition called pulmonary valve stenosis. When she was six, she underwent surgery for a condition called Tetralogy of Fallot. While the surgery was successful, one of the valves of her heart could not be completely repaired at that time. Now, Mameulove needs to undergo cardiac surgery to repair or replace her pulmonary valve so that it functions normally. She will fly to the United States to receive treatment on July 10th. Another organization, the Baylor Scott and White Heart Hospital, is contributing $20,000 to pay for surgery. Mameulove's family also needs help to fund the costs of her surgery prep, which is $1,500 and covers all labs, medicines, check-ups, and follow-up appointments. Additionally, it covers the cost of the passports they need to travel and the social workers from our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, who will accompany Mameulove's family overseas. Mameulove said, "I am so grateful to everyone who is helping me to have a strong and healthy heart!"

Srey Tey is a playful 3-year-old from Cambodia. She lives in Svay Raing province with her parents and two older siblings. Her mother cares for the children at home, while Srey Tey's dad earns a living as a taxi driver. Srey Tey's favorite things include ice cream, cartoons, and playing with her siblings! Srey Tey's mom had a long and difficult delivery with shoulder dystocia, a condition where one or both of the baby's shoulders get stuck in the birth canal. Since birth, she noticed that Srey Tey has limited movement in her left arm. Srey Tey has been diagnosed with a brachial plexus injury on her left side. The brachial plexus is a nerve network that transmits signals from the spine to the shoulder, arm, and hand. Injuries to this nerve network can result in loss of function and sensation. Currently, she cannot move her left hand and has limited strength and function in her arm. Srey Tey's family brought her to our medical partner's care center for treatment. This is the only center in the country where this treatment is available. On May 11th, she will undergo a brachial plexus repair surgery. After recovery, she will have improved function in her arm and hand. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), is requesting $709 to fund this procedure. Srey Tey's family contributed $100 to her care. Srey Tey's mother shared her hopes that, after surgery, Srey Tey will be able to move her hand more easily and start preschool.

Joseph is a 37-year-old, hard working man. He is married and a father of two children aged 7 and 2 years old. Joseph does casual work at construction sites, while his wife takes care of their young children. Unfortunately, on Friday, 24th March, as he was going home from work, Joseph was hit by a hit-and-run motorcyclist. An X-ray confirmed that he was injured on the right side of the body and sustained a closed fracture of his right humerus (upper arm bone). Joseph is in pain, and is unable to use his hand for work. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On April 6th, Joseph will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. He will heal, no longer be in pain and can resume working. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,049 to fund this procedure. Joseph lamented, “I am the only breadwinner of my family; they are all dependent on me. I am begging for help so that soon I can be well to continue supporting my family.”