Darian is a five-year-old student who lives in Columbia with his family. He is an intelligent, charismatic, and very friendly boy. His joy and curiosity shine through every day at preschool, where he interacts with his classmates with enthusiasm and warmth. Two years ago, Darian developed an umbilical hernia, a condition in which a small portion of abdominal tissue protrudes through the navel. He has been experiencing discomfort especially when doing everyday activities like playing, jumping, and enjoying his childhood. Darian was assessed by our medical partner, Clínica Noel, and has been scheduled to undergo surgery on May 19th. Now, his family needs help to fund this $1,005 procedure. Darian looks forward to feeling better so he can practice on being a soccer player! His mother says, "As a mother, I would like to express my deepest gratitude for the opportunity given to my son. The support we have received throughout this process will be essential to his well-being and development, and it represents an invaluable source of hope for our future as a family."

Given is a four-year-old boy from Tanzania. He is the second-born in a family of three children and lives with his parents, who rely on farming to meet their daily needs. Given is an active and playful child who enjoys being outdoors, but his ability to move freely has been compromised. Given was diagnosed with bilateral genu varus, a condition that causes his legs to bow outward. 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. The condition has made walking difficult and sometimes painful for young Given, limiting his ability to keep up with other children. As he grows, the condition continues to affect his mobility and could impact his future independence if left untreated. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $810 to fund treatment for Given. The procedure is scheduled to take place on April 14th at our medical partner's care center, Kafika House. Treatment will hopefully restore Given's mobility, allow him to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease his risk of future complications. Given's father says, "He struggles to walk properly and cannot keep up with other children when playing."

Meng Hor is a cheerful one-year-old boy from Cambodia. He is the only child in his family and lives in Kampong Thom Province with his parents. His father works as a chef at a restaurant near their home, and his mother runs a small grocery business. He enjoys eating vegetables with pork and loves playing with toy cars. Five months ago, Meng Hor accidentally touched a hot stove and suffered a burn injury to the second, third, and fourth fingers of his left hand. After the burn wound healed, scar contractures developed and caused his fingers to tighten and bend. This makes it difficult for him to grasp or hold objects and causes pain when someone tries to straighten his fingers. When Meng Hor's family learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), they traveled for two hours seeking treatment. On May 20th, surgeons at CSC will perform a burn contracture release surgery to improve finger movement, reduce pain, and help him use his hand more comfortably as he grows. Now, he needs help to fund this $652 procedure. Meng Hor's mother said, “I am very grateful for this treatment. I hope my son will recover well and be able to use his hand normally, so he can grow up healthy, play happily, and enjoy school without difficulty in the future.”

Praxeda is a 73-year-old mother of eight children from Uganda. She has dedicated most of her life to small-scale farming with her husband, cultivating food to support their family. However, due to her current condition, she is unable to work at this time, leaving her husband to manage the farming on his own. About five years ago, Praxeda started experiecing slight abdominal pain. At first, she brushed it off, thinking it was just the strenuous work from a long day in the farm. But as months passed by, the abdominal pain got worse, accompanied by other sensitive symptoms. As the months went by, the pain worsened, making it difficult for her to perform her daily activities. Farming, which had been her way of life, became almost impossible. Praxeda sought help at a nearby medical centre, where she was given some medicine, but it did not help much. Although the bleeding stopped, the pain and discomfort did not subside. Desperate for better care, but without money for transportation, she decided to walk for one hour to our medical partner's care center, Rushoroza Hospital. Praxeda has been diagnosed with pelvic inflammatory disease. She needs to undergo a hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus. However, Praxeda is unable to afford the surgery treatment cost. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $319 to fund Praxeda's surgery. On February 17th, she will undergo gynecological surgery at Rushoroza Hospital. Once recovered, Praxeda will be able to resume her daily activities free of pain. Praxeda says, "I did not have transportation money, but I came with much hope that I might be helped. I pray that through the help of the donor program, I can receive the surgery I need."

Two-year-old Ariana lives with her parents in the mountains of central Bolivia. Her mother is a housewife, while her father is a musician and a taxi driver. Ariana's parents only recently learned that Ariana suffers from atrial septal defect, a cardiac condition caused by a hole in the upper chambers of her heart. Blood leaks through the hole, leaving Ariana weak and unable to develop properly. On December 13th, Ariana will undergo cardiac surgery with the help of our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance. During this operation, surgeons will repair her heart and plug the hole, so that blood can no longer leak through it. Ariana's family needs your help to raise $1,500 to fund the costs of cardiac care and surgery. Ariana's mother said: "I am really nervous about this surgery, but I know this is the best for my child, so we trust the doctors that everything will go well!"

Finley is a cheerful five-year-old boy from Kenya. He lives with his parents and his two older siblings in Kiambu County, and is currently enrolled in pre-primary school (baby class). In June this year, Finley was out playing when he fell, sustaining a closed fracture of his right femur (thigh bone). He underwent surgery to repair the fracture and about three months later, the plate that had been placed in his leg to stabilize the fracture was removed. However, Finley's mother noticed that he was limping again and brought him back to the hospital. Upon review, it was discovered that the fracture had recurred. The surgeon has recommended that Finley undergo another fracture repair procedure. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, can help. On October 15th, Finley will undergo another open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) surgery at Nazareth Hospital. As a result of this procedure, Finley's leg should heal properly, improving mobility, and enabling him resume his education. Now, African Mission Healthcare is requesting $1,048 to fund this procedure. Finley's mother says: "I am worried that my son will be undergoing another operation, but at the same time, I wish to see him use his leg and walk well again. I plead for, and appreciate your help."

Jimmy is a five-year-old boy from Kenya. He is the youngest in a family of five. Jimmy lives with his grandmother because his mother passed away 4 years ago after a long illness. His grandmother is a farmer, and although she works hard on the farm, they sometimes rely on the kindness of well-wishers for food. Jimmy was born with a clubfoot on his left foot, where his foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Unfortunately, he has never been taken to the hospital for treatment. He walks with discomfort and often feels pain. He cannot play football well, which he loves, and walking long distances is difficult. Through friends, Jimmy and his grandmother heard about our medical partner's care center, Cure Hospital, where children with clubfoot can get help. Jimmy has been undergoing serial casting to prepare him for clubfoot surgery. On September 24th, Jimmy will undergo clubfoot repair surgery, and our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,286 to fund this procedure. After he recovers from this treatment, he will be able to walk, run, and enjoy his childhood like other children. Jimmy's grandmother, Francisca, shared, “My prayer is for him to receive the required treatment and be able to walk to school like other children."

Ftwi is a six-month-old baby boy from Ethiopia. He loves to play with his mom and enjoys watching other children play. He giggles when kids are around him. Ftwi's mother is a single parent who used to work as a domestic helper and cared for the children in the household. He never met his father as he joined the military before he was born. Ftwi and his mother live with relatives who farm their small land for food and rent. Ftwi was born with an anorectal malformation, a condition that leads to a complete or partial intestinal blockage. He needs to undergo a series of procedures to eliminate bowel dysfunction. Ftwi is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on October 22nd and our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of Ftwi's procedure and care. After his recovery, Ftwi should no longer experience bowel dysfunction or be at risk of developing health complications in the future. Ftwi's mother said, "I wish my child to get a successful surgery and to give thanks and gratitude and go back to my home."

Veasna is an eight-year-old student from Cambodia. He has one younger brother and lives in Kampong Chhnang province. His mother works in a clothing factory, and his father is a construction worker. Veasna is in grade three and enjoys studying English. His favorite meal is rice with soup. During his free time, he enjoys playing with toys. Veasna was born with torticollis, which causes his head to tilt to the right side due to muscle tightness or spasms in the neck. At six months old, he started physical therapy. However, due to financial constraints, his family couldn't continue with the sessions. Veasna has limited movement in his neck, which makes it difficult for him to turn his head and has also caused posture problems. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is helping Veasna receive treatment. He is scheduled to undergo the tendon and nerve repair procedure on December 6th. Veasna's family can contribute $100 but needs help to raise $472 more to fund the procedure. Veasna's mother shared, "I hope that after the surgery, my son will be able to move his head and live without problems."

Victoria is a 13-year-old student from Tanzania. She is the youngest of three children and just completed her primary education. Her father has a full-time job in the city, while her mother is a teacher. Victoria was diagnosed with bilateral varus, where her legs bow outward 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. she has difficulty walking. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $810 to fund treatment for Victoria. Victoria and her mother traveled more than 700 kilometers for treatment. She will undergo an osteotomy procedure scheduled for October 22nd at our medical partner's care center, Kafika House. Treatment will hopefully restore Victoria's mobility, allow her to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease her risk of future complications. Victoria's father says: "I hope my daughter will complete her treatment before starting secondary school, so she won’t face difficulties while attending."