Deriy is a four-month-old charming, beautiful girl. She's the youngest of four children in her family. Deriy and her parents come from north-central Tanzania, where Serengeti National Park is located. Their income is very modest and mostly comes from Deriy's father seeking day jobs on construction sites and farms. Deriy was born with clubfoot of her left foot. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape, which causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, Deriy was brought to our medical partner's care center, Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on February 18th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $935 to fund Deriy's surgery. After treatment, she will be able to walk easily and wear shoes when she grows up. Deriy’s mother says, “I am worried about how my daughter is going to walk when the time comes. Please help correct her foot.”

Nelson is a friendly two-year-old boy. He is the last-born child in a family of two children. Nelson's father works at a construction company while his mother has a kiosk where she sells commodities like sugar, salt flour, and cooking oil. Their income is not enough for them to care for and provide for the family and at the same time pay for Nelson's needed surgery. Nelson was diagnosed with bilateral genu varus, meaning his legs bow outward. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, which often stems from contaminated drinking water. As a result, he cannot walk easily. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $880 to fund corrective surgery for Nelson. The procedure is scheduled to take place on January 11th. Treatment will hopefully restore Nelson's mobility, allow him to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease his risk of future complications. Nelson’s mother says, “He complains of pain a lot and you can see how much he struggles to stand.”

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.”

Hannah is a farmer and the 62-year-old mother of four kids. All her children are now grown. She lost her husband in 2014 who was the sole breadwinner for their family. Hannah does not have a job and grows food crops for home use. She depends on her children and some relatives to help pay for her medical bills. Hannah was using her husband's medical insurance but since his death, she has no medical coverage. She recently registered for a national insurance program, but it will be not be eligible for funding for at least a month or longer and her surgery is urgent. Hannah first started feeling a painless lump on her left breast in early 2020 but she did not feel alarmed. She felt better but seven months ago, the painful swelling recurred. She went to a government facility and then Hannah recently visited Kijabe Hospital. Doctors their ordered several tests including a CT scan and core biopsy which revealed cancer of the left breast. She needs surgery to control the spread of the cancer. Hannah has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Without treatment, the cancer may spread to other organs. A mastectomy, a surgery to remove breast tissue, has been suggested to rid her body of breast cancer and to prevent the cancer from metastasizing. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $,1110 to cover the cost of a mastectomy for Hannah. The procedure is scheduled to take place on November 24th. After treatment, Hannah will hopefully return to a cancer-free life. Hannah says, “I worry I have nothing to smile about. I am scared and in pain. If left untreated, this cancer will spread and even cause death. I need this surgery urgently to stop this.”

Sreng is a 45-year-old mechanic. He has one daughter who is a young student. Sreng's wife works in a garment factory. Right now, Sreng cannot work due to his poor vision. He enjoys being able to listening to the news on the radio. Due to a traffic accident one year ago, the retina of Sreng's left eye detached, causing him vision loss and pain. He has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, and going anywhere outside. When Sreng learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On October 13th, eye surgeons will perform a retinal detachment repair procedure on his left eye. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. Now, Sreng needs help to fund this $648 procedure. Sreng says, "I hope I can see clearly so I can return to my job to support my daughter's schooling."

Angel is a three-year old girl and the firstborn in a family of two. Her younger sister is only three months old. Her mother is a homemaker without a source of income and her father is a driver at a local tea plantation. They live in a two-room house costing $50 a month and have been relying on her father's employer to help pay their bills. On September 17th, Angel suffered 2nd-degree burns. Angel's mother was preparing bathing water for her and her little sister. Her mother poured hot water into a basin and had gone to get cold water to cool the bathing water. While away, Angel unknowingly stepped into the basin with the hot water and got burnt. Angel sustained burns on about 12% of her total body surface area (TBSA), including to her gluteal region, her feet, and her right hand. Due to these injuries she is unable to sit and she sleeps on her belly. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is helping Angel receive treatment. On September 23rd, surgeons will perform a debridement and skin graft procedure to help her heal well and be able to sit again. Now, Angel's family needs help to fund this $1,185 procedure. Angel’s mother says, “I want to see my little angel grow into a successful lady. She is constantly crying because of the pain and discomfort. I hope this surgery relieves her of these predicaments.”

Noemi is a cheerful three-year-old girl from Venezuela. Her family moved to Colombia two years ago, and she will start school soon. Noemi loves playing with dolls and painting. Noemi has clubfoot of both feet, a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, Noemi's family traveled to visit our medical partner, Clínica Noel. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on September 28th. Now, Clínica Noel, is requesting $1,500 to fund Noemi's bilateral clubfoot repair. After treatment, she will be able to walk more easily and wear shoes. Her mother shared, "it breaks my heart when she tells me she wants to walk and I see that she is not able to... she is starting school soon and I would love to see her walk and play with her new friends."

Jackson is a three-year-old boy and loving big brother. His father's work at the welding shop provides the main source of income for the family. His earnings are just enough to support the household. Jackson's mother is not working so she can take care of Jackson and his very young sibling. The family currently lives in a small rented house. Jackson was born with hypospadias, which causes urinary dysfunction. Without treatment, he will continue to experience uncomfortable symptoms and will be at risk of infertility. Fortunately, Jackson is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on July 27th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is requesting $735 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. Jackson’s mother says, “It is difficult for us to raise the money for his treatment as we always rely on the National Insurance, which has turned us down.”