Samit is a 65-year-old rice farmer from Cambodia. She has one son, one daughter, and six grandchildren. Her favorite things to do in her free time are listening to the radio and taking care of her grandchildren. One year ago, Samit developed a cataract in her right eye, causing her tearing, blurry vision, and photophobia. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, and going anywhere outside. When Samit learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for eight hours seeking treatment. On February 3rd, doctors will perform a phacoemulsification cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in her right eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $229 procedure. Samit shared, "I hope that I will be able to see clearly and can help to look after my grandchildren."

Saroeun is a 31-year old corn bread baker from Cambodia. In her free time, she enjoys looking after her two daughters and cooking for her family. When she was 12 years old, Saroeun had an ear infection. This infection caused a cholesteatoma, or an abnormal skin growth, to develop in the middle ear behind the ear drum. For this reason, Saroeun experiences headaches, infection, discharge, tinnitus, and itchiness. It is difficult for her to listen clearly to others and cannot communicate well. Saroeun traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On November 18th, she will undergo a mastoidectomy procedure in her right ear. During this procedure, ENT surgeons will remove the cholesteatoma. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $842 to fund this procedure. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care. Saroeun said, "I hope that after my surgery, the ear infection will stop and my hearing will improve."

Lowasa is a three-year-old boy from Tanzania and the firstborn child in his family. At two years of age, his knees started curving inwardly forming knocked knees. His parents thought it was a normal ricket condition that would end with time. With time, the swell kept worsening and made walking painful and difficult for Lowasa. He would sit most part of the days while his friends played. Lowasa was referred to our facility by a friend. He was diagnosed with knocked knees and surgery recommended. Upon successful surgery, he will be able to walk with ease and less pain. His parents are livestock keepers who rely on selling them to make ends meet. The only money they had was exhausted in a different facility to relieve Lowasa the swelling on his legs. They are not able to afford the planned surgery and are requesting help. Fortunately, Lowasa traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre. There, surgeons will perform surgery on December 10th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $890 to fund Lowasa's treatment. After treatment, he will be able to walk easily and with less pain. Lowasa's parents say, “His legs keep worsening as days go by and we are unable to afford the cost. Please help our son if it’s possible.”

Abigael is a three-year-old girl from Kenya. Her mother is a 20-year-old student due to complete her high school education. Her grandmother and uncle are the sole breadwinners of the family. From bi-monthly payments of selling milk, her grandmother makes $15 which mostly pays fees for her children. This leaves her grandmother with little income to take care of any other family needs. Abigael is a playful young girl. When she was two years old, in 2018, Abigael was playing with her friends and she ran into the kitchen, falling into boiling water. She dipped her left hand into the water and had spillover on her gluteal region. She is now not able to move her fingers. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Abigael receive treatment. On February 19th, surgeons at their care center will perform a burn contracture release surgery so she will be able to move her fingers easily. Now, she needs help to fund this $1,176 procedure. Abigael’s grandmother says, “My prayer is to see my grandchild utilizing her hand with ease.”

Meet Jeff a one-year-old boy from Kiambu County in Kenya. He is a jovial and friendly boy, the only child of Shadrack and Catherine, a young couple. His father operates a Boda Boda taxi along the village, while his mother is a housewife. Jeff was born through a c-section at Kenyatta National Hospital and was discovered to have multiple birth deformities including spina bifida, hydrocephalus, clubfoot, and a hip condition. He stayed in the hospital for more than 2 months in the nursery and where the spina bifida and hydrocephalus conditions were treated. He has undergone hip surgery at Watsi Medical Partner care center CURE Hospital, where an x-ray reflected that he has healed. He is now scheduled to undergo a Rt hip open reduction and pelvic osteotomy treatment which will enhance his ability to stand and later walk like other children. He will later undergo surgery to correct his clubfoot. His family is a young couple who recently got married, they cannot afford the estimated bill at the hospital and thus requested for help. “The only challenge we have is the hospital bill. We are pleading for help so that our son can walk like other children,” Shadrack and Catherine, Jeff’s parents pleaded.

Baraka is a two-year-old boy and the last born child in a family of five children. He is a friendly and playful boy. He has, for the past five months, been having pain in his right pelvis area. At first, his mother noticed he would cry a lot and she didn’t know what was wrong with him. They decided to take him to the nearest dispensary for a check-up but were only given medication without the diagnosis. His parents are small scale farmers and livestock keepers whose income is little and so they were not able to seek further healthcare then. After some time, as Baraka’s mother was giving him a bath he noticed as he cried a swelling would appear around the right side of his pelvis. He showed his father and they started inquiring from friends and relatives of anyone who knew what problem their son was having. It happened one of their neighbour’s child had the same problem and had been treated at our hospital. They advised them to try seeking help here. Baraka has been diagnosed with a right inguinal hernia that needs to be corrected surgically but due to the high cost of the treatment, they are unable to raise the money. They are asking for help. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $539 to fund Baraka's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably and confidently. Baraka’s mother says, “Please help my son this problem keeps getting complicated as time goes by.”

Suzan is four months old and lives in Tanzania with her parents and four siblings. Since she was two months old, Suzan has suffered from a condition known as hydrocephalus, or a buildup of cerebrospinal fluid in her brain. “The circumference of Suzan’s head is increasing due to increased intracranial pressure," shares our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). As a result of her condition, Suzan experiences fluctuating fevers and loss in appetite. "If not treated, Suzan will be at risk of losing her vision." Suzan’s parents work as small scale farmers and do not have the income to fund her treatment. Her parents have “had to sell their only goat to get bus fare to bring their daughter to the hospital," her doctor shares. For $775, Suzan will receive surgery to treat the buildup of fluid in her brain, eliminate the risk of going blind, and to help her continue with normal growth. Suzan’s mother adds, “I hope our baby will get well, continue with normal growth and later on, go to school like other children."

Meet Eang, a 56-year-old woman from Cambodia! "Eang likes to listen to the radio and the monks praying in her free time," our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC) tells us. Eang has mature cataracts in both of her eyes, which are impairing her vision. She needs two surgeries to restore her sight. "Eang has difficulty working on the rice farm," CSC explains, "and because she lives alone, this makes it hard for her to support herself." Eang "is sad that she cannot do things for herself as she used to." We can help provide Eang treatment for only $150 to improve her eyesight and prevent blindness! Once Eang receives surgery, she looks forward to visiting the pagoda on her own!

Sou Heang is a 40-year-old mother living in Cambodia. A few months ago, Sou Heang was in a motorbike accident and broke her arm. Although Sou Heang visited a local village healer to repair the fracture, it has not healed and Sou Heang's arm is becoming increasingly painful. Sou Heang owns a small roadside shop where she sells vegetables and household items. Since the accident, Sou Heang has not been able to move her arm enough to work. For $300, we can fund Sou Heang's bone realignment surgery. This will restore mobility to her arm and help her go back to work to support her family.