Yasin is a 9-year-old student and the third born in a family of five children. Yasin is a social, talkative, and playful boy despite his challenges in walking due to his clubfoot condition. Yasin loves math and English. When asked if there are any sports, he loves he said “I love football, but my friends play better than me because of my feet, I cannot run as fast as them. So, I lose most of the time.” Yasin’s father sells vegetables at a local market and their income is not enough to care for the family and pay for Yasin’s needed treatment cost. Yasin has clubfoot of both his feet. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, Yasin traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on December 14th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $935 to fund Yasin's clubfoot repair. After treatment, He will be able to walk easily and wear shoes. Yasin’s class teacher says “I felt I had to do something because it made me very sad seeing Yasin walking around school with no shoes on. It was even worse when I realized that he also went to a pit latrine toilet with no shoes on something that is a danger to his health. Please help him.”

Charles is 65-year-old farmer from Kapsaret Village in rural Kenya. He is a widower with ten children, all adults with their own rural families. Charles was brought to our hospital by his brother. He had sustained motorbike accident in early March when going home and fracture his right elbow. He was taken to hospital and given pain medications. The brother decided to bring him here for better treatment. An x-ray showed he had a closed fracture on the right elbow. If not operated Charles will continue to experience pain and the fracture may complicate further leading to malunion. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On May 5th, Charles will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. The procedure will help him to regain normal function of his arm. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $998 to fund this procedure. “My family is not able to meet this cost and so I kindly request for support, so that my hand can be well and I can continue with my farming to sustain myself and support my children,” shared Charles.

Meet Fadumo, an 18-year-old girl from Somalia. She is the first-born of nine children. Eight years ago, Fadumo was milking her father's goat when she sustained a head injury. Since then, frequent seizures, headaches, and medical travel have caused her difficulty in school. She cannot bend over to perform household tasks. Fadumo has visited several hospitals in Addis Ababa and Hargesia without success. At one point, she was even told that there are no treatment plans for girls in Africa. Finally, a missionary referred Fadumo to our medical partner's hospital in Kenya, AIC Kijabe Hospital. Fadumo and her father journeyed to Kenya, where they stayed with a host family of the same religion. Fadumo learned that she had a mucocele, or a mucus-filled mass, in her sinus. Without treatment, the mucocele would increase in size, putting Fadumo at risk of vision loss. She would also continue to experience seizures and headaches. Fortunately, on October 25, 2016, doctors performed a craniotomy to remove the mucocele. Fadumo’s father teaches religion, and her mother is a housewife. The family lives in traditional Somali temporary houses. They are unable to pay for Fadumo's $1,495 treatment––which includes surgical costs, medications, and hospital stay––so they need our help. “I want to be well to provide for my parents and get a quality education to help needy people at home," says Fadumo.

Dhakir is a six-year-old boy from Tanzania, and is the last born in his family. Dhakir goes to kindergarten and he says he loves being with other kids. Dhakir has enlarged tonsils and adenoids. After noticing his difficulty breathing, Dhakir's parents travelled 300 km to bring him to the hospital. Upon review, doctors recommended he gets a tonsillectomy. If left untreated, Dhakir will continue to have difficulty when breathing, which negatively affects his health and education. For $545, Dhakir will undergo tosillectomy surgery. After the procedure is performed, Dhakir will regain his ability to eat and breathe normally. Dhakir's father says ''I want my son to be well after surgery so he continues with school.''

Two-year-old Kenley lives in Haiti with his mother. He has three older siblings who have all graduated from college and are working. Kenley was born with a cardiac condition called ventricular septal defect, which is characterized by a large hole between the two lower chambers of his heart. Blood passes through this hole without first passing through the lungs to obtain oxygen, leaving him sickly and weak. Kenley also has Down syndrome. Because of Kenley's age and Down syndrome status, he must undergo a cardiac catheterization procedure to determine whether his defect is still repairable. During the procedure, a catheter probe will be inserted into his heart to perform the necessary measurements and tests. Afterward, we will know whether repair surgery is possible for him. $1,500 helps to cover the costs of passports and visa for travel to the Dominican Republic for the procedure, the medical facility fee, and five days of room and board. At present, Kenley's siblings support the family, but his mother hopes to find employment once Kenley is healthier. "I am praying that everything goes well and that there is a way to fix Kenley's heart problem," she shares.

Dharma is a six-year-old boy from Nepal who currently studies in the second standard. He enjoys solving problems in mathematics and is concerned about missing school because he will have to rest after his surgery. Dharma has been living with a hernia-- a protrusion of intestinal tissue through the abdominal wall-- for a few months now. When it hurt him initially, he was too shy to tell anyone. When his brother found out about Dharma's condition, he informed their mother. His mother finally brought him to the hospital when Dharma's hernia had gotten too painful and hard in the last week. Dharma is one of a family of six, and he has one elder and one younger brother. His father stayed back home to look after the youngest son and his own brother. They tend to the farm year round and look after their cattle to keep the family going. The family needs financial assistance to cover the $491 hernia repair surgery for their son. During the procedure, doctors will return the herniated tissue to the abdominal cavity and mend the weakened area in the abdominal wall. After surgery, Dharma will be pain free once again and able to return to school. "I hope Dharma's treatment happens soon," says Dharma's mother. "There is a lot of work to do back home and with each passing day, the work is pending." Let's help fund Dharma's procedure and get him back to school.

“Teav feels useless because she can't see much and can't go to work at the farm, do housework or go anywhere by herself,” explains the Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), our medical partner in Cambodia. The CSC continues, “Teav requires the assistance of her daughter, so she puts a burden on her.” Teav has been diagnosed with mature cataracts in both eyes, a condition which greatly impedes her vision. Teav is a 70-year-old woman in Cambodia with five daughters and five grandchildren. The CSC shares more about Teav, “She likes to have her neighbors over in the afternoons to talk. After surgery, she looks forward to taking care of her grandchildren and being able to go visit her neighbors.” For $150, we can fund a procedure to remove the cataract in Teav’s left eye. The CSC expects that this “will give the patient clear vision in her left eye.” Together, we can help Teav to reclaim both vision and independence.

Meet Hussein, a four-year-old boy from Somalia. Edna Adan Hospital (EAD), our medical partner in Somaliland, shares that, “Hussein sustained severe burns to both of his arms when he fell onto burning charcoal, which is used in traditional household kitchens on the floor for cooking. He now has decreased use of both arms due to burn contractures.” For $1165, we can fund a procedure to release the contractures on Hussein’s right side--a procedure that has already been completed on his left side. “Hussein’s mother is hopeful that he will have restored mobility in his wrist and hands and be able to continue his life as normally as possible.” Let’s help Hussein get back on track!

“I look forward to work becoming easier and being able to help around the house and farm, gathering firewood and planting bananas. I also want to visit my son near the sea,” says Houn. Meet Houn, a hard-working 68-year-old man from Cambodia! For the past three years, Houn has had blurry vision due to a mature cataract in his left eye. “Cataract surgery will improve Houn’s eyesight and prevent blindness,” explains our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre. Houn is unable to pay the cost on his own but together we can raise $150 for his cataract surgery. With your help, Houn will return to a happier and healthier life!

Say hello to Un, a 65-year-old mother of eight and grandmother of eight from Cambodia! Un enjoys watching TV and cooking for her family. Un’s vision has been blurred for two years due to mature cataracts in both eyes. It is difficult for her to take care of her grandchildren and her home. “I miss being able to go to the pagoda and visit friends on my own, without assistance,” says Un. Un has traveled four hours from her village in hopes that her eyesight can be restored. “Cataract surgery will improve Un’s eyesight and prevent blindness,” explains our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre. For only $150, Un’s eyesight will be restored and she can return to her daily activities. Let’s help this loving mother and grandmother!

Sinoy is 49 and married with three children. He lives in the Philippines and makes barbecue sticks. He earns just $15 a month doing this, but the job is important to him and he's optimistic for the future. Sinoy visited our medical partner, International Care Ministries, because he was experiencing pain from an infection in his bone. The doctors tell us, "two years ago, Sinoy was in a car accident and sustained a leg fracture, requiring the insertion of a steel rod. Because of lack of finances, the rod was not removed after the fracture healed and a chronic infection developed. Sinoy now experiences chronic pain and abscess on his leg, which limits his activities and keeps him awake at night. Without treatment, his condition will continue to deteriorate." Sinoy needs surgery to remove the steel rod causing the abscess. The doctors confirm that, with this care, "Sinoy's pain and mobility will be much improved. He will be able to do more strenuous activities than he has been able to do over the past two years and earn a better income to support his family." Surgery to remove the steel rod that is infecting Sinoy's bone will cost $295. "We really need help for the removal of the expired steel implant because we cannot afford to pay for it," his family explains. Your donation will cover the cost of Sinoy's care and help the family get back on its feet.