Wishes is a 5-year-old who hails from a village in Lilongwe District. She is the last born in a family of 3 children and is a bright young student in primary school. Wishes’ parents depend on small-scale farming where they grow maize and groundnuts for their family to eat and for commercial purposes to support the family. Since she was born, Wishes has been experiencing a painful abdomen, vomiting, frequent diarrhea, and feeling weak. Her mother has been taking her to Nkhoma Hospital where she was advised to come back to meet a surgeon for assessment. Wishes was diagnosed with a periumbilical hernia, and she was scheduled to undergo hernia repair surgery at Nkhoma Hospital. However, her parents cannot afford the surgery although they hope to have their daughter undergo surgery. This condition has had a negative impact on Wishes’s life as she feels abdominal pain and cannot go to school when this happens, therefore, affecting her school performance. If the condition is left untreated, it may lead to strangulation which can be life-threatening. Wishes is scheduled for hernia repair surgery on February 13th. Our medical partner African Mission Healthcare is requesting $421 to fund surgery. After surgery, Wishes will be relived of pain and she will be able to attend school without any hindrances from the condition. Wishes’ mother says, “Thank you for this opportunity that has brought new hope to my daughter.”

Loise is the third born in a family of eight children. She's in the 5th grade and is passionate about reading. She aspires to become a doctor. Her mother is a homemaker and her father is a teacher. Loise’s clubfoot was diagnosed shortly after birth. Her left foot was turned inward and downward. Due to the lack of hospital services in their region, Loise has had to live with this condition which affects her mobility. Loise’s medical journey began with a visit to a mobile clinic where she was seen by an orthopaedic specialist. The doctor recommended that she start with serial casting, a gentle and effective treatment for clubfoot purposed to soften the tissues and realign her bones before surgery. She is presently in the hospital undergoing serial casting and needs to undergo a surgical procedure that will make it possible for her to wear shoes, walk upright, improve her self-esteem, and continue her education. Her surgery is scheduled for February 28th and her family is raising $1,224 to cover the cost of care. Loise said: “I am looking forward to walk upright without pain and continue with my education.”

Kuy is a 66-year-old rice farmer who lives with his wife in a rural village in Kampong Cham province. Kuy's wife, their two daughters, and their son-in-laws also work in the rice paddies. In his free time, Kuy likes spending time with family, farming vegetables in the village, and listening to monks pray on the radio. In September 2017, Kuy was in a motor vehicle accident that caused a fracture in his left leg. He went to a nearby trauma hospital and doctors fixated hardware to heal his fracture. Now, the hardware is exposed and infected. It is difficult for him to walk and he is in chronic pain. For the last few months, he has barely been able to work. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. On February 14th, Kuy will undergo a hardware removal procedure, which will cost $304. This procedure will help him walk easily again. He shared, "After surgery I hope I can work again and support my family."

Allen is a small-scale farmer from Uganda. She completed primary school but was not able to continue because her parents were unable to support her education. She is separated from her husband and raising two children. Her firstborn is 14 years old and no longer in school, and her secondborn is 13 years old and is in primary school. She lives with her parents in a three-room mud house. Ten years ago, Allen began to experience troubling symptoms, including a small painless swelling on her neck which was rapidly increasing in size. She resorted to using herbs, but they did not help her at all. Currently, the mass has enlarged excessively and has caused difficulty in swallowing. She also experiences mild airway obstruction and on-and-off episodes of severe headaches. She was diagnosed with a goiter and needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Allen receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo thyroid surgery on February 3rd at our medical partner's care center. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $333, and she and her family need help raising money. Allen says, ‘‘I pray to have a successful surgery. I hope to continue with farming after complete recovery to be able to support our family. May God bless you.’’

Angela is a 62-year-old woman with two grown sons. During her childhood, her dream was to be a teacher however she has to stop school at Primary 6 due to financial constraints. She is married and she and her husband farm for a living. They live in a traditional mud house in southwestern Uganda. Two years ago, Angela began experiencing lower abdominal pain and backache. Due to limited finances, Angela had never seen a doctor but when symptoms became severe, she decided to seek medical help and was diagnosed with premalignant cervical lesion. She needs to undergo a total abdominal hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus. On February 22nd, she will undergo gynecological surgery at Karoli Lwanga Hospital. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $219 to fund this procedure. Once she has recovered, Angela will be able to resume her daily activities free of pain. She says, “I hope for a complete recovery and I have faith that I will get better.”

Ivan is a two-year-old boy from Haiti, living with his parents and four siblings in an urban neighborhood. Ivan likes listening to music and watching the older kids play soccer. Ivan has a cardiac condition called Tetralogy of Fallot. This condition involves several concerns in the heart, including a hole between the two lower chambers and a muscular blockage of one of the valves. These conditions prevent blood from passing through the lungs to obtain oxygen, leaving Ivan weak and short of breath. Ivan will need to fly to the Dominican Republic for treatment. On April 17th, he will undergo cardiac surgery, during which surgeons at Hospital CEDIMAT will patch the hole in his heart and remove the blockage from his valve, allowing blood to flow normally. Another organization is contributing money to pay for the surgery. Our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, is seeking your help to fund the $1,500 needed to cover the costs of Ivan's pre and post-operative care and the travel expenses and documents for Ivan's family and the social workers who will join the family during the trip. Ivan's mother said: "Our family is praying that our son will grow and become a strong and healthy child after surgery!"

Umaru is a small-scale farmer from Uganda. He farms on his small piece of land, mainly growing food crops for home consumption and selling the surplus to generate income for his family. Umaru came in presenting with an umbilical swelling, which he has had for close to 6 months. The pain and swelling progressed over time, affecting his movement and ability to perform daily activities. Umaru was diagnosed with an umbilical hernia and the doctors recommended for him to have surgery to remove the mass. Umaru traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On March 5th, surgeons will remove the mass. Now, Umaru needs help to raise $188 to fund this procedure. Umaru says, "With support, I hope to undergo my surgery, expect to get better, and continue farming in good health to sustain my family."

Briven is a 2-year-old boy from Uganda. His parents are farmers who grow food for the family. He has two older brothers who are in school. Briven's father hopes his son will be an engineer in the future. Briven was born with hydrocele or a swelling in a sensitive area of the body. The doctors recommended surgery for him once he reached eight months. However, his parents couldn’t raise the funds needed. Recently, Briven has been in pain, unable to walk or play. Fortunately, on March 12, he will undergo hydrocele repair surgery. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $139 to fund Briven's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably and confidently. Briven's parents shared, “The only hope we have for a complete recovery of our child is by surgery, yet we have no money. We really need support.”

Tha is a 72-year-old military retiree from Cambodia who lives alone in rural Kampong Chhang province. His wife passed away twenty years ago, and he has been living alone. He helps care for his eight grandchildren who live nearby. All five of Tha's children help support him financially through their work in farming and construction. In his free time, Tha enjoys going to the pagoda to pray and watching the evening news. About two years ago, Tha developed a cataract in his left eye, causing him itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. A cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye, so it is like looking through a frosty or fogged-up window. He has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so is not able to go places on his own. When Tha learned about our medical partner Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), he traveled for two and a half hours seeking treatment. On April 19th, doctors will perform a phacoemulsification cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in his left eye. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. Tha and his family are able to contribute $25 towards the cost of his treatment and need help raising $228 more to fully fund the operation. Tha shared, "For two years, I am feeling scared to drive my motorbike because I cannot see clearly. I would like to be able to drive to see my grandchildren or to the far away pagoda on my own."

Huon is a widowed grandmother from Kampong Cham province in Cambodia. She is 77 years old and has three daughters, four sons, and 20 grandchildren. She lives with her youngest son, who works at a garment factory in the province. Ten years ago, her beloved husband passed away from untreated high blood pressure. Huon no longer works in the rice paddies due to her age, but likes to stay connected to her community by visiting the local pagoda to listen to the monks pray. About one year ago,, Huon developed a cataract in her right eye, causing her itchiness, tearing, and blurred vision. She no longer leaves the house alone, because she is afraid she will trip and fall from the steps on their traditional stilt house. A cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye, so it is like looking through a frosty or fogged-up window. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so is not able to go places on her own. When Huon learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On May 2nd, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery, and an intraocular lens implant in her right eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Huon is able to contribute $100 towards the cost of her treatment and needs help raising $153 more to fund the procedure. Huon says: "I hope that after surgery my vision will improve, so I can visit the pagoda by myself, and take care of myself and my grandchildren."

Srey Buoy lives in Kampong Cham province with her family. Both her parents work as farmers, growing rice and corn. Her grandmother stays at home and takes care of her 6-year-old daughter, who is in kindergarten. Her husband works at a clothing factory several hours away in Phnom Penh and travels home on the weekends. At home, Srey Buoy helps her parents harvest vegetables around the house and enjoys playing games with her daughter. On April 14th, 2023, Srey Buoy was in a motorbike accident, where she sustained multiple injuries across her body. She was transported to a hospital in Vietnam for urgent medical care. Throughout the year, her fractures healed, however, her right eye developed ectropion, a condition where the eyelid turns outward, leading to limitations in the lateral movement of her eye. She cannot close her eye completely, which may cause complications as her eyelid cannot completely protect her eye from infections and scrapes. When Srey Buoy learned about our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), her family traveled for four and a half hours seeking treatment. On May 6th, our surgeons at CSC will perform a contracture release procedure to alleviate tightness, a lateral canthopexy to stabilize the eyelid, and a full-thickness skin graft to repair tissue damage on her right eye. This will allow her to close her eye completely. Srey Buoy and her family are able to contribute $100 but needs to raise $387 more to fund the procedure. After the surgery, Srey Buoy hopes to return home and be able to care for her family without worrying about this anymore.