Jovitah is a 24-year-old small-scale farmer from Uganda. When she was three years old, Jovitah and her sister lost their father, leaving them under the care of their mother. Their mother worked tirelessly to ensure they grew up cared for, but sadly, she also passed away in 2008. Jovitah and her sister then went to live with their grandmother. Though Jovitah's grandmother raised them as best as she could, she was unable to support them to reach their desired level of education due to financial constraints. After leaving school, Jovitah got married at the age of 17. Presently, she and her husband engage in farming, mainly growing beans, maize, and potatoes for home consumption, and selling the surplus to generate some income for the family. The couple have one child enrolled in Primary 1. Jovitah got pregnant a second time, but unfortunately she and her husband lost their baby a few days after the birth. Jovitah is currently expecting her third child. Her doctors recommend that she deliver via a caesarean section due to a high-risk pregnancy. This way, doctors can ensure the safety of both mother and child. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Jovitah undergo a C-Section on February 5th. This procedure will cost $252, and Jovitah needs your support. Jovitah says, “With your support, I look forward to a successful delivery with results of a healthy baby, hoping to continue with farming to sustain my family after a full recovery.”

Jonas is a 26-year-old man from Uganda. He and his wife engage in subsistence farming, selling a small portion of their produce to meet basic household needs. About five months ago, Jonas began to experience troubling symptoms, including pain, initially believing his condition to be ulcers. He sought treatment from different clinics, where he was given painkillers and also tried local herbs. However, the pain worsened significantly this month and has greatly affected his daily life. He is no longer able to work on his farm, has difficulty walking long distances, and experiences back pain when sitting. Jonas was advised by a relative, whose wife had previously received support for a cesarean section, to seek medical care at our partner's care center, Rwibaale Health Center. At the hospital, he was examined by a surgeon and had an ultrasound scan. He was diagnosed with pancreatic pseudocyst. Physicians recommend a laparotomy, a surgery that opens up the abdominal cavity to treat his condition. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $230 to fund Jonas's surgery. On January 6th, he will undergo surgery which once completed will hopefully greatly improve his quality of life. Jonas says, "I hope to recover soon and for the pain to go away, so I can take good care of my children."

Olera is a seven-year-old boy from Ethiopia. He is the middle child in his house, with three siblings. When his father fell ill and became bedridden, the family lost its sole provider. His mother bears the responsibility of managing the household and caring for her children. She shows amazing dedication and walks tirelessly every day, going from one shop to the next, selling different products. She is doing everything she can with incredible strength. Eight months ago, Olera began to experience difficulty swallowing, had a high fever, and loss of appetite. His illness has forced him to miss many school days, hurting his education and limiting his time with friends. It also makes him more irritable and unhappy. Worst of all, the sickness puts a critical added strain on his mother, who is already burdened with supporting a family of six. Olera was recently diagnosed with enlarged tonsils, which, if not treated, will cause his symptoms to persist and possibly intensify over time. Our medical partner, Saglan Wajee General Hospital, is requesting $700 to fund a tonsillectomy for Olera, which is scheduled to take place on November 27th. Surgeons will remove his tonsils, which should relieve Olera of his symptoms and help him live more comfortably. Olera's mother said, "Even though I am completely exhausted by all the daily responsibilities, every mother yearns for her child to be healthy and happy. When I see my kids smile, all my pain disappears. I hope he gets the surgery quickly and makes a full recovery."

Fabienne, a 15-year-old student, lives with her parents and sister in a small town in central Haiti. She is in the ninth grade and aspires to become a nurse or doctor when she grows up. Fabienne has a cardiac condition called rheumatic mitral regurgitation. One of the four valves of Fabienne's heart is severely damaged as a result of an infection she suffered earlier in childhood. This has rendered her heart incapable of pumping blood normally through her body. Fabienne will fly to the Dominican Republic, where, on July 15th, she will undergo cardiac surgery, during which surgeons will either repair her damaged mitral valve or remove it and implant an artificial replacement. Our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, is contributing $6000 to pay for the surgery. Fabienne's family also needs $1,500 to help fund the costs of pre-surgery preparation, lab tests, medications, and follow-up visits. This money will also help secure travel documents for the family and cover travel costs for the social workers who will accompany Fabienne and her family on their trip. Fabienne said: "I am looking forward to this surgery, so that I will have more energy, and can stop worrying about my heart!"

Cristopher is a happy, curious 4-year-old from Colombia who enjoys learning in his preschool class. He also loves playing with his friends and discovering new things every day. When he grows up, Cristopher dreams of becoming a policeman to help people and protect his community. Cristopher has been living with a hernia that causes him weakness and pain and makes it difficult for him to do daily activities. Movements such as walking, running, or carrying objects can become uncomfortable. If left untreated, his condition could worsen, affecting his well-being and quality of life. Fortunately, on June 27th, Cristopher will undergo hernia repair surgery at our medical partner's care center. Our medical partner, Clinica Noel, is requesting $786 to fund Cristopher's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will allow him to live more comfortably. Cristopher mother said, "To the person who will generously donate the resources for my son's surgery, I want to express my deepest gratitude. You cannot imagine the immense happiness I feel knowing that my little boy will be able to be better and healthy, continuing his path towards his dream of becoming a policeman. As a mother, I will always carry in my heart the noble gesture you have made, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your kindness and generosity. Knowing that my son will be operated on, thanks to you, gives me indescribable relief. May God bless you always and repay you with abundant blessings. Thank you very much!"

Pitou is a 15-year-old student in grade ten from Cambodia. He is from Prey Veng province and lives with his mother, a homemaker, and his older brother, who is a rice farmer. His parents are divorced, and his older brother is the main breadwinner in their home. Pitou enjoys watching English teaching videos on social media, exercising, and his favorite subject at school is literature. He dreams of working at a bank when he grows up. At home, he loves his mother's lemongrass sour soup and eggs. At age three, Pitou was burned by an open campfire near his home, which caused severe burns to his right hand. After the accident, his mother reported that he was taken to a private children's hospital, where he underwent a skin graft. Unfortunately, she could not afford to bring Pitou back for follow-up appointments, which led to burn contractures on all four fingers on his right hand. Although Pitou does not experience pain, the contractures make it difficult for him to hold or carry objects, significantly limiting his daily activities. When Pitou's mother learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she brought Pitou and traveled for two hours seeking treatment. On September 2nd, surgeons at CSC will perform a burn contracture release surgery to help his fingers move more freely, enabling him to hold and carry items easily. Now, he needs help to fund this $652 procedure. Pitou's mother said: "After the surgery, I hope that my son's hand will be like other people's hands, so that he can hold the items more comfortably and other children will not make fun of his hand."

Gay is a 13-month-old baby boy from Burma who lives with his parents in a refugee camp in Mae Hong Son province in Thailand. His parents fled from Burma due to the civil war. When Gay was about a month old, his parents noticed that his left scrotum was larger than the right and that his inguinal area appeared to bulge at times. Gay was diagnosed with an inguinal hernia, a condition caused by abdominal tissue pushing through an opening in the lower abdominal wall. Fortunately, on June 23rd, Gay will undergo hernia repair surgery at Mae Sariang Hospital, our medical partner's care center. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,468 to fund Gay's hernia repair surgery. Once completed, he should live more comfortably. Gay's mother said, “My son is an active baby and plays well. I feel sorry for him because of his health condition. He is too young to tell us if he is in pain.”

Eydan is a five-year-old boy from Bolivia. He lives in the southern part of Bolivia with his dad, who paints houses for a living, and his mom, who is a food vendor. Eydan loves to eat and play with toy cars. Eydan has a cardiac condition called a ventricular septal defect, where a hole exists between the two lower chambers of his heart. Blood leaks through this hole without passing through his lungs to obtain oxygen, leaving him weak and short of breath. Eydan also has Down syndrome. On May 28th, Eydan will undergo cardiac surgery at our medical partner's care center, Hospital del Niño Dr. Ovidio Aliaga Uría. During surgery, doctors will sew a patch over the hole so blood can no longer leak through it. Eydan's family needs help to fund the costs of cardiac care and surgery. Our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, requests $1,500 to cover the cost of cardiac exams and diagnostics, surgical costs, follow-up care, and medications. Eydan's father says, "We leave everything in God's hands, we trust in God and the doctors!"

Stonard is a two-year-old toddler from Malawi. He hails from a village nestled in the rural heart of Lilongwe District, Malawi. He is his parents’ only child; a bright, playful boy who lights up their modest home with laughter and energy. For his age, Stonard speaks Chichewa fluently and is always eager to join other children in play. For six months, Stonard has had an inguinal hernia, a condition that occurs when tissue, such as part of the intestine, protrudes through a weak spot in the abdominal muscles. Each painful episode brings his play to a halt, leaving him crying inconsolably in distress. Despite the family's limited means, they took him to the nearest health center, where he was only given painkillers due to lack of surgical services. Desperate for relief, the family turned to traditional healers and herbalists, hoping for a cure. But his condition worsened. In June this year, Stonard's parents brought him to our medical partner's care center, Nkhoma Hospital, where the diagnosis was finally confirmed by surgical staff. Surgery was scheduled for July 22nd, but the family quickly realized they could not afford the cost of the procedure. His father spends much of his time doing construction work in nearby towns, trying to make ends meet. Together with his wife, a small-scale farmer, they earn just enough to provide daily meals and basic needs for their son. His parents are doing everything they can to find help, and they remain hopeful that their little boy will get the surgery he needs to finally live pain-free. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $421 to fund Stonard's hernia repair surgery. The procedure is scheduled to take place on July 22nd at Nkhoma Hospital and, once completed, will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably. Stonard's mother said, “We just wish for him to grow up healthy and strong, so that he can play freely, and go to school like other children. After this surgery, we believe he will have a better life without pain.”

Evelyne is a 36-year-old small-scale farmer from Uganda. She and her husband have six children and practice farming to sustain their family. For five years, Evelyne has had an epigastric hernia that causes her to experience pain whenever she does hard work or carries heavy items. When her condition significantly worsened, she decided to come to our medical partner's hospital for help. She was diagnosed with an epigastric hernia and scheduled for surgery on April 15th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $234 to fund Evelyne's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will allow her to live more comfortably and confidently. Evelyne said, "I hope to continue with her farming after recovery."

Meet Domina, a 5-year-old from Tanzania. She is the third born in her family of four children. Her parents are farmers who cultivate crops for their family's consumption and income from what they sell. Domina was diagnosed with bilateral genu varus, a condition in which her legs bow outward at the knee so that her knees do not touch. Several factors could cause this condition, such as growth disorders, vitamin deficiencies, or excessive fluoride found in contaminated drinking water. As a result, the knees can be angled inwards or outwards, making it difficult to walk and may cause long-term joint damage. Domina shared that she also experiences mocking from her peers. On March 4th, Domnia will undergo surgery at our medical partner's care center, Kafika House. This treatment will restore Domina's mobility, allow her to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease her risk of future complications. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $810 to fund this procedure. Regarding her hopes for the surgery, Domina shared: "My friends make fun of my legs most of the time. I don't like it, so we end up fighting. I want it to stop."

Sara is a four-year-old girl who lives in Nechí, Antioquia with her mother and sister. Sara is a caring, loving, attentive, and intelligent child. She enjoys playing with dolls and her favorite foods are fish, lentils, and eggs. Sara is in pain due to severe tooth decay and needs surgery to address her oral health issues. This intervention will significantly improve her quality of life, as it will eliminate the pain and allow her to eat better. Our medical partner, Clínica Noel, is requesting $868 to fund the surgery Sara needs. Sara's mother shared, "I am grateful for the care my daughter has been receiving at Clínica Noel and all the help they are able to provide my family."