Byamukama is a 25-year-old single man from Uganda. He went to school up to Primary Three and dropped out because of lack of money. He is a casual laborer who does any work that is available in order to earn some money. After surgery he plans to work hard, get capital, and start a business so that he can earn money and be self-reliant. Byamukama developed a swelling in his right inguinal area a year ago. He reported his condition to the hospital, was given medicine, and was advised to have surgery, but he didn’t have the money. He is still looking for money or ways to get assistance. The pain on his swelling is on and off but when he is in pain it becomes hard for him to stand up straight, walk well, or lift heavy items. If not treated, Byamukama is likely to suffer many complications. "When I am in pain, I feel restless and helpless," explains Byamukama. For $249, Byamukama will undergo hernia repair surgery at Holy Family Virika Hospital in Uganda. After surgery, the swelling will be reduced and he will be relieved of his pain.

Even though Jose is five months old, he is currently the size of a one-month old. This is because he has acute malnutrition, a condition that results from not receiving a sufficient amount of breast milk. His mother could not breast feed for two months, leaving Jose with only sugar water to eat during that time--and now she is unable to produce milk. At such a young age, proper nutrition is especially important. Lactation failure can lead to the child becoming starving, dehydrated, and provoke electrolyte imbalances that can cause seizures. Brain development occurring during this delicate time is compromised and the baby is at risk of long term damage. Jose is the the only child and he lives with his parents and grandparents in a one-room adobe house with a tin roof and dirt floor in Guatemala. Jose loves to play with his one toy--which is a stuffed fish, and his mother says that he loves to babble and laugh whenever anyone talks to him. His mother is a minor, and thus does not work, and his father works as a day-laborer, getting paid about $3 per day when there's work. Lactation failure, while dangerous, is easy to treat. By supplying the baby with formula and the mother with health education, Jose will receive the calories he needs to grow and thrive. One-on-one education with Jose’s mother will prepare her for when he needs to start eating solid food, as well as help her watch for further signs of malnutrition and other illness. Jose’s immune system will strengthen and he will grow up to be a healthy and energetic baby. "I hope that my son grows healthy and that when he is big he can study and become a nurse and help others," his mother shared. "I have this hope because he can have the support from you."

Meet Thuok, a 73-year-old Cambodian woman who has two sons, two daughters and 10 grandchildren. "She enjoys watching Chinese movies on TV and listening to the monks pray on the radio," shares our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC). "Thuok developed a cataract in each eye 10 years ago," CSC tells us. Cataracts are a common cause of blindness in Cambodia and often go untreated. In Thouk's case, her cataracts have blurred her vision progressively. "She can't do her work well or get around outside alone," explains CSC. For $225, we can fund cataract surgery that will remove the old, cloudy lenses in Thouk's eyes and replace them both with clear implants, allowing her to see clearly again. This will improve her independence, allowing her to watch her favorite movies and go outside by herself once again.

Nancy is a 20-month-old baby girl who lives with her parents in a remote village in Kenya. Nancy’s mother is a housewife, and her father sells khat to sustain the needs of the young family. Nancy was born with a small anal opening. During the first six months of her life, while she was only feeding on breast milk, she did not have trouble passing stool. When she started eating solid foods, she began to have a difficult time passing stool, and her stomach started to swell. Nancy was taken to several hospitals by her parents, and eventually, she had a colostomy done to create an opening on her upper abdomen for passing stool. Her parents were able to pay for the surgery through financial contributions from friends and family, but as time passed, it became more and more expensive for them to cater to their child’s medical expenses. To prevent infections, Nancy's parents must keep the area around the colostomy clean. “This is really hard for us—very hard,” says Nancy’s father. Keeping the area clean has also been expensive, making it more difficult for the family to raise the funds required for the next phase of Nancy's medical care. Now, Nancy needs a pull-through surgery—an anorectoplasty—to create an anal opening through which she can pass stool normally. $1,260 pays for the surgery, and Nancy's parents are contributing $21 to cover additional costs associated with her care. “Please help my daughter get treated, as we have exhausted funds in trying to get her treated," shares Nancy's father. "My prayer is to have her treated. I really understand her condition, and I am desperate to make life easier for her."

Shawali was identified through the outreach program at Arusha Lutheran Christian Medical Centre (ALMC) when his mother presented him with a "problem with his feet." He has been diagnosed with bilateral club feet, which means that both of his feet are twisted out of shape or position. Shawali, a 20-month-old boy, is the fourth born child to subsistence farmers from Tanzania. Education is important to his parents, and his older siblings all attend school. Because his condition makes it difficult for him to walk properly, Shawali requires treatment to straighten them out and restore him to proper mobility. Shawali's parents need assistance to cover their son's $1,160 procedure. He will have plaster casts on his feet and then an operation to straighten them. After his operation, Shawali will recover at the Plaster House, which is a facility in Tanzania that houses and rehabilitates children after corrective surgery. It is expected that Shawali's feet will achieve full correction and that he will never know that he was born with the club foot condition. His mother tells us, "I hope that Shawali will look normal and go to school like his siblings."

Meet Lokesh, a 12-year-old boy from Nepal who is in fourth grade and enjoys reading stories. "Lokesh was picking fruits from a tree when he fell down," our medical partner, Possible, reports. He sustained a fracture in his left hand, which is still considerably swollen and looks slightly deformed. His parents are farmers and lack the resources to fully fund Lokesh's treatment. For $224, Lokesh will receive orthopedic surgery to correct the alignment of his hand. Starting on day three and lasting until Lokesh is healed, a community health leader will visit his home to check for complications. At home, Lokesh is in charge of caring for his little brother and tending to the nearby grazing cattle while his parents work. When he's not watching over his brother and the cattle, Lokesh enjoys playing kabaddi, a traditional contact game that originated in India, with his friends. Though his family is looking forward to Lokesh receiving treatment, he is a little nervous. "I'm scared about my treatment," Lokesh tells us. "I'm worried it will hurt."

A six-year-old boy, Ayubu likes to skip rope and play football with the other children in his village in Tanzania. Despite his love for being active, Ayubu has been diagnosed with bilateral congenital clubfoot. He was treated as a baby, but it has since relapsed. He needs proper medical treatment to ensure he can recover permanently. "If not treated, Ayubu will be at risk of developing osteoarthiritis at a young age," our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), reports. Clubfoot is a developmental disorder that results in the feet turning inwards and with very high arches. To treat his condition, Ayubu will undergo a surgical procedure called a tenotomy, which is the release of of an overly tight tendon, and will also have to wear casts to realign the foot and ankle joint. $1,160 will cover the cost of the surgical and casting procedures, along with a four-month stay in Plaster House, a home where children can recover after surgery. After treatment, "Ayubu's gait will improve and he won't be feeling pain in his ankles when walking," AMHF explains. "I hope my son will be able to walk properly so that he can walk to school with ease," Ayubu's father shares.

Meet Carlito, a 37-year-old man from the Philippines. "In June of 2015, Carlito underwent an operation on his left eye that later became infected," our medical partner, International Care Ministries (ICM), reports. Since the operation, Carlito has developed a perforated corneal ulcer—one that typically occurs when an infection causes the cornea to thin. The infection has greatly impacted Carlito's vision, making it difficult for him to work. As a pig farmer and factory worker, Carlito is the sole source of income for his family. He is married with three daughters, and is concerned about what will happen to his family if he should fully lose his vision due to the infection. $1,500 will cover the cost of a corneal autograft transplant, a procedure in which doctors will replace Carlito's damaged cornea with healthy corneal tissue. As the hospital, Mount Elizabeth Orchard, is located overseas in Singapore, the cost of treatment will also include two round-trip plane tickets for Carlito to access his care. Four days of post-operative care in Singapore will also be provided. After the operation, Carlito's vision will be restored, and he will be able to continue working. In his free time, Carlito is an active participant at the local church, and has even begun studying to become a full-time preacher. With the autograft transplant, Carlito will be able to continue with his lessons and "his life of learning can take its course," shares ICM. "Seeing my wife and my children smile means so much to me, and without your help, that would not be possible," Carlito says. "I am excited to follow the doctor's orders so I will be able to see again."

Meet Fayka, a four-year-old girl from Tanzania. For over a month now, Fayka has been experiencing intermittent stomach pain that is severe at times and is affecting her ability to eat properly. Tests have revealed a growing abdominal mass that requires surgical removal to prevent further health complications. Born on July 1st, 2012, Fayka is an only child to her mother and father. “Fayka has started pre-school and she enjoys singing and coloring some pictures,” shares our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). “When around other children, you will see her laughing and peacefully playing with her friends.” “Fayka’s mother is a homemaker and her father is a truck driver,” says AMHF. The family currently rents a small apartment, hoping to save up some money and begin building their own house on a piece of land given to them by Fayka’s grandfather. However, “What Fayka’s father earns is not enough to cover their daily living expenses as well as the surgery which their daughter needs.” For $920, Fayka will undergo surgery to remove her abdominal mass, thus eliminating her stomach pain and allowing her to continue school without disruptions. “My daughter has been doing well and I will be happy not to see her suffering,” says Fayka’s mother. “My wish is to see her excel in life.”

Four-month-old Davina lives with her mother and grandparents in small three-room house in Kenya. Davina’s family brought her to our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), after noticing that her head was growing larger. Davina’s increasing head size is the result of hydrocephalus, a condition in which there is an accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain due to infection, trauma, malformation of the central nervous system, or genetic defect. AMHF explains, “Davina is at risk of having delayed development and increased intracranial pressure due to the extra fluid in the brain, which can result in brain damage and eventually death.” To drain the excess fluid, doctors will place a shunt in Davina’s brain and connect it to a tube that runs under the skin and empties into the abdomen, where the excess fluid can be resorbed by the body. AMHF tells us, “Davina’s surgery will help eliminate the pressure impacted on her brain by the excess fluid in her head and reduce the risk of brain damage and blindness.” Davina’s grandparents work as small-scale farmers to support themselves, their seven children, and baby Davina. They have no other source of income and cannot afford to pay for the surgery that Davina needs. For $980, Davina will undergo surgery and spend five days in the hospital as she recovers. Funding also covers the costs of imaging, blood work, and medicine. “I am glad to have found a place where Davina can be treated,” says Davina’s grandmother. “Please help her live a long, quality life.”

Meet 19-year-old Lay. Originally from Burma, Lay now resides in Thailand and works as a waiter. He lives with his father, a construction worker, and his mother, a homemaker. Lay's favorite sport is football. Referred to our medical partner, Burma Border Projects (BBP), from the Mae Tao Clinic in Thailand, Lay has been diagnosed with a heart condition known as a ventricular-septal defect. This congenital heart defect results in a hole in the wall separating the two lower chambers of the heart. As a result of Lay's condition, BBP reports, "he feels tired and has heart palpitations. He sweats a lot while he runs and plays football or caries something heavy." $1,500 will fund a complex cardiac surgery to correct the ventricular-septal defect in Lay's heart. "After surgery, Lay should be able to go back to his work and generate money for his family," BBP explains. "He should not feel tired nor have heart palpitations. He should not have fatigue when he plays and runs or carries heavy things." "I am really worried for my son’s condition after I heard the news from the doctor," Lay's mother adds. "I have only one son and one daughter so I do not want to see his condition get worse – I am afraid to lose him. I hope he will recover and I want him to stay with me in the future." "I want to recover and work again to support my family," Lay tells BBP

Hannah is 47 years old and lives with her mother and brother in Kenya. She works to support herself farming potatoes and selling bananas. “Two months ago, Hannah felt a lump in her breast,” explains our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). “She didn't think it was serious, so she continued with her life as usual. However, after two weeks, the lump had grown a lot and Hannah decided to seek a medical opinion.” After speaking with doctors at two different hospitals, they were able to confirm that the lump is cancerous. While it has not spread yet, the doctors have recommended that Hannah undergo a mastectomy and chemotherapy and radiation to prevent the cancer from spreading to other vital organs and becoming fatal. “Hannah is a single mother to a 22-year-old daughter,” shares AMHF. “She has worked very hard to ensure that her daughter has a better life and a good education. Currently, Hannah’s daughter is a third year Bachelor of Commerce student at a local public university.” With living expenses and her daughter’s tuition, she is not able to raise the funds necessary to afford the treatment on her small income. With $740, Hannah will receive the care she needs. In performing the mastectomy, surgeons will remove Hannah’s entire breast. This operation will be followed by a few rounds of chemotherapy and radiation to ensure the cancer is entirely removed. The funds will ensure Hannah and her family do not have to worry about the risks of the cancer spreading. “I have worked hard to ensure that my daughter gets a good education and a better chance in life,” shares Hannah. “My only dream is to see her finish school and live a good life.”