Sebit is an 11-year-old student from South Sudan. His father is a fisherman, and his mother is currently unemployed. Living in a remote region of South Sudan, the family is located far from specialized medical care. In September 2021, Sebit fell from a tree while playing with his friends. He landed chin-first and injured his mouth, biting through his lower lip and bleeding heavily. At first, he did not seem to be in pain, but about a month later, both sides of his cheeks began to swell. From that point on, Sebit could no longer open his mouth well. Simple activities such as talking, laughing, and eating became extremely difficult. He was taken to a nearby hospital, where doctors diagnosed him with a jaw fracture and recommended surgery. However, due to the complexity of the procedure, the surgery could not be performed at local facilities. Sebit was given pain medication and sent home. For the past five years, Sebit has lived in this condition. He speaks in low tones, eats slowly in very small portions, and avoids sleeping on either side of his face because of the discomfort. The swelling in his cheeks comes and goes, often leaving him in pain and distress. Sebit slowly adapted to this painful new reality, uncertain whether his condition was improving or worsening with time. Hope finally arrived when a well-wisher learned about Sebit’s condition and referred the family to our medical partner's care center, AIC Kijabe Hospital. This meant the family had to travel from South Sudan to Kenya for treatment, and the well-wisher helped cover the cost of their journey. After undergoing scans at our hospital, doctors discovered that Sebit’s jaws had fused and locked together, preventing him from opening his mouth. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On May 14th, Sebit will undergo a mandible reconstruction surgery to restore movement to his jaw and help him eat, speak, and live healthier again. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,115 to fund this procedure. Sebit says, “Whenever I try to open my mouth, I feel pain. I have to eat very slowly and only in small portions.”

Emmanuel is a 45-year-old hardworking father from Philippines. He previously worked as driver to support his family, but is currently unemployed, which is challenging while raising two school-going children. His wife is also unemployed, and with no steady income, the family often skip meals and mainly depend on partial repayments of debts from relatives, and occasionally borrow money from the children's uncle. Six years ago, Emmanuel began to experience troubling symptoms, including intense chest pains that radiate to his back, which prevented him from sitting or lying down. He made repeated attempts to seek treatment in public hospitals, but these were unsuccessful due to overcrowding. Emmanuel is growing increasingly worried about not being able to provide for his family, yet he remains hopeful that the surgery could alleviate his painful symptoms and reduce the financial strain on his family. Emmanuel has been diagnosed with cholelithiasis, which are hardened pieces of bile that form in the gallbladder. Doctors have advised him to undergo a cholecystectomy, which the surgical removal of the gallbladder. If left untreated, his symptoms will continue to worsen and put him at a risk of future health complications. Emmanuel is scheduled to undergo a cholecystectomy on April 11th, through our partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP). A portion of the cost of the procedure is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and WSFP is raising the remaining $1,031 to cover the cost of Emmanuel's surgery and care. Emmanuel says: "Despite our current struggles, I remain optimistic about our future. Once I receive treatment for my condition, I'll return to work so I can provide for my family again. My wife and children keep me strong."

Korb is 65 years old and a father of two from Takeo Province, Cambodia. His wife sells rice, while their two children work as bag factory workers. In his free time, he likes exercising and helping his wife with some works Around two years ago, Korb began experiencing pain in his left hip due to avascular necrosis, which can occur when blood supply to the ball of the hip joint is disrupted, leading to bone cell death and the collapse of the femoral head. This condition has caused difficulty walking and limited his ability to perform daily tasks independently. The condition developed naturally, without trauma or accident. He had previously undergone a total hip arthroplasty on his right hip in 2017 with the help of our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC). Korb decided to travel back to CSC for treatment on his left hip. On March 17th, Korb will undergo a hip replacement procedure, where surgeons will operate on his hip to relieve pain and improve mobility, allowing him to move comfortably and return to work. Korb and his family can contribute $25, but they need help raising $1,475 to fund his procedure and care. Korb said, "After the surgery, I hope that I will no longer have hip pain and be able to walk more easily, so I can move around more independently and do some works to support my family."

Leah is 39 years old and a small-scale farmer from Kenya. She and her husband are poultry farmers. One month ago, Leah began to experience troubling symptoms, including severe backaches and abdominal pain. She was initially treated with medication, but her condition worsened. As the pain persisted and her abdomen became swollen, scans revealed a perforated intestine, requiring emergency surgery. Despite the procedure, Leah continued to experience intense abdominal pain and had to undergo a second surgery during which a portion of her intestine was removed to aid her recovery. Subsequent scans have now revealed fluid buildup in her pelvic area, leaving her in severe pain and unable to heal properly. She was diagnosed with an acute abdomen, and doctors recommended a laparotomy, which is a surgery that opens up the abdominal cavity to treat her condition. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,500 to fund Leah's surgery. On February 3rd, she will undergo surgery, which will, hopefully, greatly improve her quality of life. Leah says, "I haven't been able to move from this bed. I am exhausted, and my stomach is swollen and in pain."

Rojasi is six years old and a student from Malawi. He lives with his family in a small village in Nkhoma, Lilongwe. He is in Standard One and dreams of becoming a truck driver one day. He talks about driving big trucks across long roads and bringing food and supplies back to his village. Despite his young age, he carries big hopes for his future. For over a year, Rojasi has had an inguinal hernia. The hernia causes him pain, often forcing him to stop playing with his friends, and makes it hard for him to focus in class. His mother has watched him suffer quietly, feeling helpless as she sees her child in pain. At first, the family relied on herbal medicine because of their beliefs, hoping the problem would go away. When it did not improve, and the pain became worse, his mother brought him to Nkhoma Hospital. Doctors diagnosed him with a left inguinal hernia and explained that he needs surgery to recover fully. Hearing this was frightening for his mother, who had no means to pay for the operation. With no other option, they requested support. This brought a sense of hope to a mother who had almost given up. She now waits with faith that her son will soon receive the care he needs and return to school and play without pain. Fortunately, on February 24th, he will undergo hernia repair surgery at Nkhoma Hospital, our medical partner's care center. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $421 to fund Rojasi's hernia repair surgery. Once completed, this will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably. Rojasi's mother said, “I believe my son will heal and go back to school strong again. This funding program has come at the right time to help my child when I could not do it on my own. Without this support, I do not know what we would have done.”

Richard is 29 years old and a porter from Uganda. After the death of his father, who was the family’s breadwinner, Richard and his two brothers and sisters dropped out of school because their mother, a farmer, could not afford school fees for all of them. However, with the help of one of their uncles, his sisters were able to resume school. One of them is now a tailor and the other a nursery teacher. He lives with his mother and works on construction sites as a porter. He is a strong supporter of Manchester United, enjoys playing football, and dreams of starting a retail shop if he ever gets enough capital. For about a year, Richard has had a right inguinal hernia. What started as a small, mildly painful swelling gradually worsened, becoming severely painful to the point that he could not bend, sit, or stand for long periods. The swelling becomes more prominent and painful whenever he lifts heavy objects or cultivates at home. This condition caused him to lose his job, further affecting his financial stability. He visited a nearby hospital where surgery was recommended, but since he could not afford the cost, he remained at home. Richard was referred to our medical partner's care center, Karoli Lwanga Hospital, for help. Fortunately, on March 3rd, he will undergo hernia repair surgery. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $230 to fund Richard's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably and confidently. Richard says, “I lost my site job because of this condition, yet it was my only source of income. Even at home, I can no longer do anything to help. I kindly appeal for your support; otherwise, I don’t think I will be able to raise the amount of money needed for my surgery on my own.”

Kenneth is 57 years old and a farmer from Malawi. He is married and has five children, three of whom are adults with their own families, and the youngest two are in school. He is also a grandfather to five grandchildren. About 16 years ago, Kenneth began to experience troubling symptoms, including a swelling on his neck that grew over time. He has been experiencing difficulty swallowing, neck heaviness, and breathlessness, which have significantly affected his daily activities, resulting in reduced income. He has been to different hospitals but has not felt any improvement. In January this year, one of the beneficiaries noticed him struggling to breathe and encouraged him to seek care at our medical partner's care center, Partners in Hope Medical Center. He was diagnosed with a goiter, which is an abnormal enlargement of the thyroid gland. The thyroid is the gland located in front of your neck and produces thyroid hormones. These hormones are responsible for functions such as metabolism, growth, and other bodily functions. He needs surgery to prevent his symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Kenneth receive treatment. He is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on March 4th. Surgeons will remove all or part of his thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $1,015, and he and his family need help raising money. Kenneth shared, "I already have 100% hope that my healing has drawn nearer. I did not expect to be supported despite having nothing to offer. I will patiently wait for my surgery turn."