Colleta is a 26-year-old woman who works at a small boutique in Nairobi. She is married and has two children, who are four-years-old and five-months-old. Colleta and her family currently live in the capital city, but they plan to relocate to Colleta’s hometown soon. Colletta and her family were involved in a serious car accident last month. Her parents and brother passed away, and her husband and two children were seriously injured and admitted to the ICU. Although her husband’s condition has stabilized, Colleta’s kids are in critical condition and under pediatric intensive care. Colletta sustained a fracture to her right pelvic bones. As a result, she experiences severe pain and cannot sit, turn her body, or feed herself. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), can help Colletta receive treatment. On April 28th, she will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation, that will allow her to sit and walk again. AMH is requesting $979 to fund this procedure. Colleta shared, “I am in pain and cannot even turn or sit. I am also sad that I lost my parents and my brother. My kids and husband are in critical care and still in ICU. I feel confused and heartbroken.”

Sreyna is a 9-year-old girl who is living with her grandmother. Sreyna's mother works in a garment factory in another province, and sends money to Sreyna's grandmother for her care. Sreyna enjoys school, and is hoping to become an accountant. She also likes playing with her friends, reading, painting, and watching cartoons, and her favorite meal is a traditional Khmer noodle dish that her grandmother makes for her. In June 2021, Sreyna was hit by a car while riding her bike home from school, and her left leg was severely injured. Her family took her to a local hospital, where she received medical care and a skin graft. A year later, as a result of her injury and treatment, Sreyna's left leg is shorter than her right leg, she has limited range of motion of her ankle, and she has a large scar. She has difficulty walking, and she can't keep up with her friends when running and playing. Her grandmother shared that she is worried it is also impacting her confidence. A neighbor suggested our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, for treatment so Sreyna and her grandmother traveled there hoping for care. Now surgeons plan to do a series of procedures on Sreyna's leg, which should enable her to walk and run and to keep up with her friends when they play. They are raising $487 to fund Sreyna's medical care, which is scheduled for May 12th at Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre. Sreyna's grandmother said: "I hope Sreyna's leg will be fixed so she can walk without a limp and be active like other children."

Eyohas is three-year-old from Ethiopia. He is a sweet and loving boy who likes to play football and play with cars. His guardian Lishan is his mom’s aunt and she is the one who is raising Eyohas. Lishan has one child of her own and she also adopted and raises a girl who is her niece. Her husband is a driver and the breadwinner for their family. His income is all goes directly to meeting their basic needs. Together they live in a rented house with one room. Lishan discovered about Eyohas's condition a year ago but they could not get him the necessary treatment due to financial constraints. Eyohas has an inguinal hernia, which results from a weakness in the abdominal wall. Fortunately, on March 15th, Eyohas will undergo hernia repair surgery at our medical partner's care center. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $512 to fund Eyohas's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably and confidently as he grows. Lishan shared, “I hope with this surgery, he will heal and he will go to school. In the future I believe he will be a successful adult. I wish him to have a good life in the future.”

Barnaba is four-year-old boy and the second-oldest of four children. His father plans to enroll him in school next year, when he turns five. Both his parents depend on small-scale farming for a living, growing maize and vegetables for their family. Due to financial challenges, they are not able to afford medical treatment for Barnaba. In 2021, Barnaba was out playing with his sibling and friends when he fell, and his right hand went into hot ashes. His parents rushed him to the hospital where he had the burns dressed. His wounds healed but he was left hand has been permanently impacted, which limits his motor function and affects daily life. The doctors at the local hospital advised his parents to seek treatment at a bigger hospital to have his hand surgically corrected. Fortunately, our medical partner at African Mission Healthcare shared Barnaba's story and are helping him get the care he needs. Now his family is seeking financial assistance to fund the $1,088 procedure. Barnaba’s father says, “He now needs this treatment most because next year he is going to start school. He will struggle a lot if his fingers are not corrected.”

Faith is a beautiful young girl and the last born in a family of three children. She recently joined kindergarten, where's she's been learning how to read English words, and picking up fast! Faith's mother sells vegetables in the village, while her father takes up casual construction labour to help make ends meet. Their family, like the majority of Ugandan citizens, does not have medical insurance coverage, which makes it difficult for them to access quality healthcare. Since birth, Faith has had an umbilical hernia. Her mother explained that Faith has a swollen umbilicus, which can become painful when she strains herself. Her parents are not able to raise the money they need for her surgery to help her heal, and appeal for help. On February 8th, Faith will undergo hernia repair surgery at our medical partner's care center, Karoli Lwanga Hospital. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $230 to fund Faith's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will allow her to live more comfortably and confidently. Faith's mother says, “My daughter always wants to help me at home mostly on doing chores but her ill health is always a barrier. However, I hope that once given your support, she will regain her health and live a new life.”

Naw Khu is a 25-year-old woman from Burma. She lives with her parents and two brothers in a village. Naw Khu is a homemaker, while the rest of her family works as farmers growing beans and nuts on their land. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic and the Burmese military takeover, Naw Khu's family has had difficulty selling their crops. In early September 2021, Naw Khu started to experience edema in her whole body, and especially in her face, legs, and hands. Her abdomen has also become enlarged and she has experienced a loss of appetite. She has had abnormal bleeding and feels tired when walking long distances. At night, she often has a fever and has difficulty sleeping. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), is helping Naw Khu receive treatment. On December 9th, she will undergo a CT scan, or a procedure in which x-ray images taken from several angles are combined to produce cross-sectional images of the body. This scan will hopefully help doctors diagnose her condition and formulate an appropriate treatment plan. Now, Naw Khu needs help raising $414 to cover the cost of Naw Khu's CT scan and care. Naw Khu shared, "sometimes I want to give up, but I feel bad for my mother. She tries very hard to help me. She spends all her time with me. I feel sorry for her."

Marigarita is a four-year-old girl and the youngest in a family of four children. Both of her parents are farmers, growing maize for food. They get some money from doing manual labor jobs such as harvesting and looking after other people's farms. Marigarita was diagnosed with bilateral genu valgus. Her legs bow inward so that her knees touch. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, which often stems from contaminated drinking water. As a result, she feels pain after walking a long distance. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $880 to fund corrective surgery for Marigarita. The procedure is scheduled to take place on December 3rd. Treatment will hopefully restore Marigarita's mobility, allow her to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease her risk of future complications. Marigarita’s mother says, “Please help treat my daughter so that she can walk well without difficulty.”

Leang Hor is a 28-year-old factory worker. She's married and her husband also works in a factory. The couple has a nine-year-old son in first grade and an 11-year-old daughter in third grade. In her free time, she enjoys watching movies and cooking for her children. Their family lives with Leang Hor's parents so that they can send their children to school. While she was in Thailand looking for work, Leang Hor was in a pickup truck accident with 14 other people. Tragically, all of the occupants died except Leang Hor. She woke up in a Thai hospital with a fractured right humerus. Doctors there applied an external fixation to heal her fracture, but she has an open wound which has since become infected. She feels ill, her hand is very swollen, and she is unable to move her fingers. When Leang Hor learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), she traveled there seeking treatment. On December 10th, surgeons at CSC will perform a wound debridement procedure to remove the infected tissue from her arm. She hopes after the debridement, her right forearm will heal and she will no longer have pain or infection. Now, Leang Hor needs help raising $273 to fund her procedure and care. Leang Hor shared, "I want to heal soon so I can go back to work to support our family and keep my children in school."

Natinael is a sweet toddler who loves to play with toys. He loves birds especially looking at the doves where he lives with his mom. Natinael's mom shared that he is shy and always wants to be at her side. She is a single mom and has been raising Natinael on her own with help from her family. Natinael was born with birth condition called Bladder Extrophy, which means that his bladder is open to air and at great risk of infections and injury. He needs surgery to help heal his condition, but his mother is unable to afford the cost. She is very much worried and concerned by his health and wants to do whatever she can to make sure he grows up healthy. She shared, “At first I did not know about the gravity of his condition. Then when I went to the hospitals they said they can’t do the surgery and they referred me to another hospital. I was in so much distress. I thought ‘what is this disease that the doctors refer it to another hospital.’ One doctor explained the condition to me and that was my lowest time of my life. I couldn’t eat or drink or sleep. All I could do was cry. I asked God why this happened to me." Fortunately someone referred her to an organization that knew our medical partner's care center BKMCM Hospital where doctors can perform the surgery he needs. Natinael's mom says, "If he heals, I hope I will work hard and raise him well and give him good education. I did not go to school and that makes me to want to send Natinael to school more. I'd like to spend the rest of my life with him protecting him.”

Neila is a beautiful, smiley, and charming three-year-old girl. She is the second born child in a family of two children. Her family shared that she is a very friendly and loving little girl. Neila was diagnosed with genu varus, where her 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, she cannot walk easily. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $880 to fund corrective surgery for Neila. The procedure is scheduled to take place on January 11th. Treatment will hopefully restore Neila's mobility, allow her to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease her risk of future complications. Neila’s mother says, “I am struggling to make ends meet I won't be able to afford the treatment cost. Thank you for your help."

Somanith is a 17-year-old university student. She is the oldest child in her family and has two siblings: an 8-year-old brother in 2nd grade and a 12-year-old sister in 4th grade. Somanith is in her first year at university, where she is studying accounting. Her father works for the government, and her mother stays at home to care for her siblings. Somanith likes to read books, exercise, and meet up with friends in her free time. Six months ago, Somanith noticed swelling on the left side of her face and thought it was from her wisdom tooth. She received a biopsy at the government hospital, which revealed she has a mass called ameloblastoma. Somanith is experiencing swelling and pain and is concerned with how quickly the mass has grown. Specialty surgeons will need to perform an excision and histology to determine her future treatment. When Somanith learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), she traveled across the country for eight hours seeking treatment. On December 7th, surgeons at CSC will perform an excision to remove the mass and help Somanith feel comfortable again. CSC is requesting $657 to fund her procedure. Somanith shared that she is hopeful the tumor will be easily removed and the biopsy will be benign.

Sary is a bright 10-year-old student. She's in grade five in school and has one younger brother. Her father is a policeman, and her mother is a housewife. In her free time, she enjoys drawing pictures and reading books. About a week ago, Sary developed a chalazion, or an inflamed cyst in the tear gland of her left eye. The chalazion causes her pain, swelling, and redness. It is difficult for her to see clearly and go to school. She feels embarrassed by her condition and that other children make fun of how her eye looks. Fortunately, our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is helping Sary receive treatment. On January 10th, surgeons will remove the cyst through a chalazion excision procedure. After recovery, Sary's symptoms should improve. Now, she and her family need help raising $187 to fund her procedure and care. Sary shared, "I hope after surgery my eye gets well, and I can attend school without being ashamed of how my eye looks."