Oudom has three siblings and loves to play outside with friends and watch cartoons. He wants to be a policeman when he grows up. For the past year, he has had a recurrent infection that makes it difficult to breath and sleep. Surgery can get rid of the infection and improve his quality of life. He will be able to sleep again and focus better at school.

Kelvin is a child from Tanzania. He is the eldest in a family of two children. In February last year, Kelvin's clothing caught on fire. He has gone through months of wound dressing. His doctors performed a skin graft surgery in order to cover up his chest wound and help it heal. Now he needs another surgery to release the skin contracture on his right shoulder. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Kelvin receive treatment. On March 4, surgeons at their care center will perform a burn contracture release surgery so he will be able to move his right shoulder and hand freely again. Now, he needs help to fund this $608 procedure. Kelvin’s father says, "We are pleased that his wound has now healed please help release the skin contracture.”

Samnang is a boy from Cambodia. When Samnang was just one and a half years old, he accidentally burned both of his bands with hot water. Since then, his burns have left skin on the inside of his fingers taut, and he is unable to fully extend them. Surgery will help to release this skin and allow Samgang to outstretch his fingers without any difficultly. Surgery is scheduled for April 25 and will cost $417. Samnang enjoys reading books, and hopes to become a teacher when he grows up.

Lyvang is a baby from Cambodia. He is five months old. He likes to play with toys and balls at home. Since birth, Lyvang developed a cataract in each eye, causing him blurry vision and clouded lenses. He has difficulty seeing things clearly. When Lyvang's family learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, they traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On July 17, doctors will perform a lensectomy anterior vitrectomy and an intraocular lens implant in each eye. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. Now, his family needs help to fund this $398 procedure. His mother says, "I am worried about my son's vision and white pupils. I hope he can see normally after surgery."

Bedasa is a baby from Ethiopia. He is a smiley toddler who loves to play and laugh with people. His parents are traditional farmers. He is the fourth child in their family. Bedasa was born with an anorectal malformation, a congenital abnormality that leads to a complete or partial intestinal blockage. He needs to undergo a series of procedures to eliminate bowel dysfunction. Bedasa is scheduled to undergo surgery to correct his condition on November 17. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of Bedasa's procedure and care. After his recovery, Bedasa will no longer experience bowel dysfunction or be at risk of developing health complications in the future. Bedasa’s mother says, “It is our hope to get the surgery and to see our child in a healthy and good position by your support.”

Shakir is a cute and charming boy who loves people. He enjoys discovering new things and eating sweets and rice. Shakir has been diagnosed with Hirschprung's disease, a condition that affects the large intestine and causes uncomfortable symptoms. He underwent a previous treatment, which only solved the problem temporarily. On December 27, he underwent a corrective surgery at our medical partner's care center. During this surgery, doctors removed the diseased part of Shakir's intestine. Shakir’s mother is a single mother who is unemployed. Her brother supports the family, but he cannot afford healthcare. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,500 in funding.

Sebastien is a 17-month-old boy from Haiti. He is the first child in his family. Sebastian's father sells cell phones, and his mother stays home to care for him. Sebastien was born with a condition called pulmonic valvar stenosis, in which one of the four valves of his heart is too small. Blood backs up from the valve into his heart, leaving him sickly and weak. Without treatment, this condition could be fatal. On November 9, Sebastien traveled to the Cayman Islands to undergo treatment. Surgeons will insert a catheter into the affected heart valve and stretch the valve to normal size. Have a Heart Cayman Islands is subsidizing this $5,000 surgery. Now, his family needs help to pay his $1,500 travel fees. "We are all a little scared about this surgery," says his mother, "but we are excited that Sebastien can become a normal boy when it is over."

Meet Gloria, a three-year-old girl from Uganda who is one of six children. "When she is feeling good, Gloria likes to sing and play with others in the village," shares our medical partner, The Kellermann Foundation. Gloria's severe malnutrition and respiratory infection cause her to feel tired and weak. In addition, she also has a severe case of edema—a condition characterized by fluid build-up in the tissues of the body—resulting in swelling and discomfort. In Uganda, 14% of children under age five are underweight and 33% of children under age five are stunting—a condition marked by one's "height for age" value falling below the fifth percentile on a growth curve. Although Uganda has made strong economic progress in the last decade, food security continues to be a challenge for nearly a third of all households. “Gloria is very uncomfortable and irritable,” explains our medical partner. “She needs nutritional help to prevent the long term impacts of malnutrition such as stunting and cognitive impairment. Her mother and father will also need to receive nutritional counseling so they know how to prepare healthy meals at home.” $350 will fund the nutritional help that Gloria needs. Gloria’s parents, Sylvan and Buzare, are farmers who grow millet, beans, cassava, and potatoes. “I am looking forward to going home and planting seeds to grow nutritious food for my family,” Gloria’s father says. “Thank you so much for the help.”

26-year-old Makara was hit by a car while he was driving his moto in Thailand last August. "This caused a brachial plexus injury of his left arm," reports our medical partner Children's Surgical Centre (CSC). Since then, this factory worker and father from Cambodia has had limited sensation and mobility of that arm and hand. "After the accident, he was not admitted to a hospital because he could walk fine," CSC continues to explain. Instead Makara received traditional Khmer medicine back home, but this was ineffective and he continued to experience pain and a lack of mobility in his left arm. Eventually Makara went to a hospital where doctors told him he needed surgery to repair the damage to his nerves. Because the damage was so extensive, "he has no sensation below the deltoid area of his left arm and no mobility in his fingers," says CSC. Makara is very worried about how this injury will affect his wife and daughter. "I can't hold stuff with my left arm or go to work to support my family," he expresses to us. His grandmother had surgery at CSC in the past, so Makara traveled four hours with his brother to reach CSC for proper treatment. For $392, surgeons at CSC will perform a nerve and tendon repair that will improve the function of Makara's left arm. CSC explains, "a nerve will be diverted and sewn into the current non-functioning nerve, and after a few months of healing his arm will regain functional abilities and sensations." Makara will also receive physical therapy sessions over the next several months to help him regain his arm's abilities. Then he will be able to return home to work and take care of his family. "I hope after the operation my arm will have good function again," Makara shares with us.

Mugenyi was born in Uganda, where his father noticed his son's scrotal swelling as an infant. Although Mugenyi's father observed the condition, known as congenital hydrocele, he shares that his son "was not taken to hospital because of lack of money." Mugenyi is now a fourth year student in primary school near his home. He tells our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), "my best subject is mathematics and I want to be a nurse." AMHF adds,"Mugenyi likes eating cassava and enjoys playing hide and seek." He used to love playing football, but had to stop because of his condition. For $215, Mugenyi will have an operation to repair the hydrocele in his scrotum and remove the painful swelling. With treatment, Mugenyi will no longer be at risk of infection and can enjoy a more active lifestyle. “After surgery, Mugenyi hopes to get well soon so that he can continue playing football with his friends at school and in his home village,” AMHF shares. His father, a small-scale farmer, adds, "I am worried about this condition my son has. Thank you very much.”

Brendah is a one-and-a-half-year-old girl who lives with her parents and her two older siblings in a small Ugandan village. Our medical partner, The Kellermann Foundation, shares,“When work is available, her mother works as a farm laborer and her father works as a logger. Going to church is a favorite family activity.” “Brendah has malnutrition complicated by diarrhea and oedema,” her doctor states. Oedema is a buildup of fluid in the body that causes swelling. “She is lethargic and if untreated, her malnutrition can affect her immune system and physical and cognitive development.” For $375, Brendah will receive micronutrient and food supplementation, and medication to stop her diarrhea. These steps of treatment will help Brendah to gain weight and strengthen her immune system. Brenda's mother says, “Thank you so much for helping my child.”

Say hello to Jovadany, a four-year-old boy from Haiti! According to our medical partner, Project Medishare (PM), “Jovadany is the first child of her mother who is 22-years-old. She is young and lives with her parents. The father of the baby is a motorcycle taxi driver and the mother is a secondhand clothes seller in the streets.” Jovadany deals with a cleft lip and palate; PM says, “according to what the mother of Jovadany says, the baby is not healthy. He cannot talk well and when he eats the food comes out through his nose, and the cleft palate causes some trouble breathing. He cannot breathe well and cannot go to school because of that.” For $960, Jovadany will receive cleft lip and cleft palate repair surgery. Afterwards, Jovadany will be able to drink, eat, and breathe normally. His mother tells us, “I am excited to see my son healed and be able to go to school.” Let’s help Jovadany have a healthy childhood!