“Ivan was born on April 14, 2016 and he is the first child to his parents,” shares our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation. “Ivan was born with multiple deformities: clubfoot, a lesion on his lower back, as well as water in his head. He is at risk of easily contracting infections through the lesion, and too much intracranial pressure will cause him to lose his ability to see if not treated." “Other than the anomalies he has, Ivan is doing well. His parents were expecting a healthy baby, but now that their baby is born with multiple deformities they want him to get the right treatment. Ivan’s mother is a homemaker and his father is a small scale farmer. Ivan’s father is the first born to his parents and the one whom his parents and siblings are looking up to for support. Apart from supporting his parents, he is also paying for two of his siblings to go to school. With so many responsibilities, the little that he earns is not enough to cover the cost of surgery which his son badly needs." Ivan needs surgery to close the defect in his spinal canal, and drain the excess fluid in his head. This procedure will cost $1,200. "Successful treatment will save Ivan’s eyesight and with long term physical exercises, Ivan will be able to walk." “Education is all that I can give to my son for him to live a better and independent life when he grows up. All I hope is for him to get well and everything else will follow,” shares Ivan’s father.

"I want to be a doctor, to help poor people," shares nine-year-old Dennis, a boy from Kenya. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), tells us that "Dennis has poor hearing and experiences difficulties in pronouncing words. This gives him difficulties socializing with other children and performing well in school." Dennis has sensorineural hearing loss, which means he has low sound perception. AMHF shares, "If not assisted with the hearing aids, Dennis will have poor performance academically and socially." Dennis' parents are both casual laborers who pick tea on large scale farms to support their family, but Dennis' mother told AMHF that her husband was laid off from his job due to frequent absences for taking Dennis to the hospital. To afford Dennis' treatment and their older son's school fees, AMHF tells us that "his parents sold heir cows and now have a heavy financial burden." For $712, Dennis will receive hearing aids to correct his hearing loss and allow him to better hear those around him and his own voice, so that he can better pronounce words and speak with ease. These hearing aids will allow him to learn and socialize more easily and excel in school. In their pre-operative interview at the hospital, Dennis' mother shared: "My heart will be at peace if Dennis grows as a normal child."

Shivan lives in Uganda with her three older siblings and parents, who work as small landowners and farm for a living. “Her mother also has a small shop in the village where she sells household items,” our medical partner, the Kellermann Foundation (KF), tells us. “On Sundays, the family enjoys going to church.” “Shivan is only three-months-old, but her mother is diabetic and has not been able to nurse properly, and Shivan is suffering from malnutrition,” KF explains. “She has oedema and is very lethargic.” This is a condition that has developed from Shivan’s malnutrition where excess fluid collects in tissue or body cavities. $375 will fund treatment for Shivan’s malnutrition, which will allow her to "return to normal development patterns,” KF continues. “Thank you so much for all the help,” shares Shivan’s mother, “I have been very worried about my daughter.”

Since 3-month-old Nahomy was born, her mother has been unable to provide sufficient breast milk for her. “Her family is poor and cannot afford expensive formula, so instead Nahomy has been drinking whatever breast milk her mother can supply and otherwise going hungry,” says our medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq (WK). “She is losing weight and is not growing in height.” Nahomy’s mother has lactational failure, and as a result, Nahomy lives with malnutrition. “Nahomy is an only child of two loving parents,” WK continues. “Her mom weaves textiles and cares for all the household chores, while her father works as a farm hand. They have very little income, and do not own any land. Her mother and father both have a 3rd grade level education, because they had to drop out of school to work to support their families when they were young.” “Her mother is young and worried what will happen if her child does not receive supplemental milk of some kind,” WK says. “Without intervention Nahomy will continue to lose weight and will be at risk of infection, illness, permanents physical and mental damage, and even death.” For $1,016, Nahomy and her mother will receive care, treatment, and medication to address Nahomy’s malnutrition. “Treating lactation failure is easy and effective,” WK says. “Formula supplementation will prevent Nahomy from dying from dehydration or starvation. It will promote normal physical and mental development and gives Nahomy the chance to reach her full growth potential. Nutrition education provides the mother with the skills she needs to ensure her child’s healthy growth and development, and will prepare her for when she starts to introduce solid food into Nahomy’s diet. Nutrition education will help her to give Nahomy everything she needs to be healthy and growing, as well as recognize if/when Nahomy needs other medical attention.” “I hope God will bring my daughter good health, strength, the ability to study and graduate to become a professional,” her mother says. “I want her to have a better life than we have now.”


Meet Yoselin, a 20-month-old girl from Guatemala. The youngest of nine, Yoselin is the baby of the family. Yoselin has acute malnutrition. "She is far below average for both her height for age and weight for age,” says our medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq (WK). A nutrient-rich diet is essential for healthy child development. Without intervention, Yoselin is at risk of further health complications, including stunted mental and physical development and infection. “Yoselin’s mother works caring for the children and the house and she also sells vegetables at the local outdoor market. Her father is a day laborer that does any odd jobs he can find,” WK says. However, their modest income is not enough to support Yoselin’s treatment. Indigenous Guatemalan communities, such as Yoselin’s, often face food insecurity and limited education. As a result, these populations have some of the highest rates of malnutrition in the world. For $535, Yoselin will receive nutritional therapy for her acute malnutrition. Micronutrient rich food supplements will be gradually added into her diet over a 90-day period. In addition, Yoselin’s mother will be enrolled in an intensive nutrition education. This course will provide her mother with the ability to care for Yoselin's dietary needs throughout her childhood. Intervention will give Yoselin the opportunity to experience a normal, healthy childhood. WK states, “This treatment will supply Yoselin with the growth monitoring, micronutrient and food supplementation, and medication for her to recoup some of the weight and height she has lost.” Yoselin’s mother shares, “My wish is that Yoselin finishes 6th grade. I never got to go to school and I think some education could make all the difference. I just need help making sure she will stay healthy and make it to that age.”

Meet Frank, an active five-year-old boy from Tanzania. He enjoys coloring pictures and playing with balls, and lives with his parents and three siblings on their small farm. A few years ago, Frank began developing leg problems that impaired his ability to walk. "He was born without any deformities but his parents noticed something was wrong when Frank turned one," says our medical partner African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). "He was able to sit and stand, he was even holding on to things and taking a few steps, but slowly his limbs started getting weak. Then they saw his limbs were bowed inwards preventing him from walking." Frank's parents took him to the hospital where he was diagnosed with genu valgus, also known as knocked knees. This is an abnormal bone development where knee joints and thighbones weaken and become misaligned, and make it very difficult to walk. "Frank delayed to start walking and when he eventually started to walk, his gait was not normal," explains AMHF. "Frank's parents are small scale farmers trying their best to take good care of their children. Coming up with enough cash to cover the cost of operation which Frank needs has been a challenge," AMHF shares. $940 will pay for a combination of surgery and casting to cut and realign Frank's bones and joints. This will allow him to walk properly without knocking his knees, and will reduce the risk of developing osteoarthritis at a young age. Frank's family is very hopeful for his operation. "In our village, we get from one point to the next mainly by walking. We hope that our son will have the ability to walk properly so that he can walk to school in the future," says Frank's father.

"As Miriam continues to grow, so does the cyst on her left mandible," shares our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). Four-year-old Miriam is a "cute, four-year-old girl. She is the second born in a family of three children. She likes to play with dolls and running around with other children," AMHF shares. The cyst in Miriam's mouth started to be noticeable when she was two months old, and it keeps increasing in size with time. Miriam’s parents are worried what will happen if the cyst will continue to grow. They are small scale farmers, relying on growing and selling maize, beans and some vegetables. With three children going to school, it has been difficult to raise enough cash to cover the cost of operation which Miriam needs. $920 will fund the mass excision surgery Miriam needs. "If not treated, the cyst will continue to get bigger and that will lead to a bigger cosmetic and functional deformity and a larger reconstructive challenge," AMHF adds. "Furthermore, Miriam will lose her teeth and thus affecting her nutrition." Let's help Miriam get healthy, and grow up without pain.

Meet Alvin, a one-year-old little boy from Kenya, with a left undescended testis. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), shares, “Alvin lives with his parents in a two-room house. Alvin’s father serves as church minister near their home while his mother, who is a trained teacher, stays at home to look after Alvin. She has been seeking employment to supplement her husband’s income, but has not been successful. Alvin's father earns very little from his pastoral role and they are unable to raise funds for Alvin’s surgical care.” AMHF describes Alvin’s condition as “absence of the left testicle in the scrotal sac. Alvin’s left testicle did not drop into the scrotal as it is expected in baby boys soon after birth.” An undescended testis puts Alvin at a higher risk for testicular cancer, hernia, and infertility. Thus it is critical that he undergo treatment. For $540, an incision will be made and Alvin’s left testis will be surgically lowered into the scrotum alongside its right counterpart. This will radically lower any health risks and allow Alvin to grow up more normally and comfortably. AMHF tells us, “[Alvin] started taking his first steps recently, and spends time standing and holding on to furniture and anything else that can support him.” His mother adds, “It has been hard living on the little my husband earns. I am hoping to get work soon so that I can help with the house expenses. I pray that little Alvin gets treatment and grows up to be like other boys.”

Meet Ruth, a four-day-old baby girl from Kenya. Ruth’s mother is a housewife and her father is a small-scale farmer. Ruth was born with spina bifida, a neural tube defect. She has a fluid filled sac protruding from her lower back, covering the abnormally developed spinal cord tissue. Complications from spina bifida include long term issues such as malformation of the spinal cord and loss of muscle function in her lower limbs. She is also at risk of contracting infections, which could be fatal. Ruth’s mother has worked hard to ensure the health of her new baby girl. Despite having no money to pay for hospital bills, "Ruth’s mother despite all odds struggled to bring Ruth to the hospital," explains our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). "Ruth’s mother says that she cannot watch her daughter die." For $805, Ruth will receive spina bifida closure surgery. Funding will cover surgical costs of the spina bifida closure, laboratory work, medications, hospital stay, and the necessary physiotherapy for Ruth to recover successfully. After treatment, Ruth will no longer be at risk of developing infection, spinal cord malformation, or paralysis in her lower limbs. Children with spina bifida who have undergone this treatment tend to go on to lead active lives. “I will not give up on my daughter,” says Ruth’s mother. “It’s my prayer that she gets well and becomes my greatest testimony.”

Meet Benta, a one-year old girl from Western Kenya. Benta lives with her mother, father, and older sibling. Her father works as a farmhand in order to earn a living and provide for the family. After noticing an abnormal growth on her lower back, Benta’s family sought medical advice and discovered that their daughter has congenital spina bifida. Congenital spina bifida is a neural condition whereby the spine grows improperly in utero, resulting in a gap between the vertebrae. As the spinal column is a major connecting site for the body’s nervous system, this can be a very serious neurological disorder if left untreated. According to our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), “Benta has a large cystic mass on the lower backbone area.” They add that intervention will play a crucial role in allowing Benta to grow healthily throughout her childhood, in addition to greatly reducing the risk of infection later in life. $805 will allow Benta to receive a spina bifida closure to remove the large cyst that is currently obstructing her spinal column. Benta will undergo a surgical operation and receive five days of hospital care in addition to postoperative physical therapy sessions. AMHF shares, “the surgery will help reduce the risk of developing infections, developing tethered cord and paralysis in her legs.” Grateful for a healthy baby girl, Benta’s father shares “I pray that our daughter gets better.”