Fredrick is a 29-year-old farmer from Malawi. He lives with his parents and helps support them with the small profits he makes from selling Irish potatoes. Eighteen months ago, Fredrick started experiencing abdominal pain associated with an inguinal hernia. He was unable to seek medical treatment until now. An inguinal hernia is a protrusion of the intestines through a weak region in the abdominal muscles. The protrusion presents as a painful bulge in the groin, and the pain increases with coughing, bending at the waist, or lifting heavy objects. Without treatment, Fredrick is at risk of intestinal obstruction or strangulation, which can be life-threatening. For $613, Fredrick will undergo hernia repair surgery. During the procedure, surgeons push the protruding tissue back into the abdomen and sew together the weakened muscle with pieces of synthetic mesh. Over time, muscle tissue grows into and around the mesh to strengthen the area. Funding for Fredrick also covers the costs of three days of hospital care, including blood tests and medicine, as well as travel and meals for Fredrick and two caregivers. Fredrick is very excited about his hernia repair, and he is optimistic that everything will go well.

Phyu is a 37-year-old woman from Burma who is a mother to 15-year-old-son and 13-year-old daughter. Phyu's husband works as a carpenter to support their family. Phyu has a heart condition called mitral stenosis. She "suffers from fatigue and heart palpitations," explains our medical partner, Burma Border Projects (BBP). "These symptoms made her stop working as a day laborer. Presently she works as a housewife because her medical condition precludes work outside of the house." Mitral stenosis is a disorder in which a valve of the heart does not open fully, restricting the flow of blood through the heart. This has lead to another condition, called mitral regurgitation, which causes the backward flow of blood in the heart. The complex cardiac surgery to treat Phyu's condition costs $1,500. BBP tells us, "After surgery, she should be able to work and could provide an income for her family." Phyu tells our medical partner, "I want to recover and work with the traditional medicine shop, selling medicine in my village. I want to make money to support my children and my parents."

Meet 23-month-old Olga from Guatemala, the youngest of five siblings. “Olga is an energetic little girl that loves to jump and dance when she hears music. She imitates her mom’s singing voice and pretends to cook with little plates and cups while her mom prepares meals for the family,” shares our medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq (WK). Olga has acute malnutrition, causing her to be far below the average height and weight for her age. “Her immune system is weakening, and she is showing signs of developmental delays. At almost two years old, she is only speaking 12 words, whereas children on a normal developmental trajectory speak approximately 50 words at that age,” reports WK. “We worry that without intervention, Olga will continue to fall away from the growth curve, and her immune system will continue to weaken, putting her at risk of acute illness,” continues WK. “Furthermore, without medical intervention and parental education, Olga will have a higher risk of suffering from the long term effects of malnutrition.” With $535 in funding, Olga can receive comprehensive treatment for malnutrition, which includes growth monitoring, medication, micronutrient, and food supplementation. Her mother will also receive nutrient education that will improve the health of their entire family. This treatment will allow Olga to recoup the height and weight, strengthen her immune system, and reduce the risk of long term effects strongly associated with malnutrition, such as diabetes and complications during pregnancy. “We are so happy to be a part of this program," shares Olga's mother. "Thank God for allowing you to find us and for wanting to help our Olga. We hope she will recuperate soon.”

"Alex is an energetic, 11-year-old boy," shares our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). "He is the seventh born in a family of nine children. Alex is in primary school." Alex was born with congenital gigantism of the first, second and third digits of his left foot. The digits continue to increase in size as Alex grows. Alex cannot wear shoes, and feels different from other kids. "The long distance walk to school is sometimes a problem for him due to the size of his foot, but Alex doesn’t like missing classes at all," AMHF continues. "He enjoys science subjects and also likes to draw. His father passed away, leaving his mother and children. Alex’s mother does small business of selling green vegetables and fruits. She is doing the best she can to raise her children." Alex would like to be able to wear shoes and comfortably walk to school like other children. For $1,035, we can fund surgery to correct his gigantism and allow him to walk normally. Let's help make it happen!

Meet Kenneth, a 16-year-old budding entrepreneur who lives in Kenya. Kenneth lives with his parents and seven siblings in a farming community. He was recently running home when he fell and severely broke his humerus. Kenneth hasn’t been able to use his left hand or arm since, and needs surgery to repair the fracture. Kenneth completed primary school (class eight) and now earns money selling DVDs in a local market. His income, combined with his parents’ income, is not enough to pay for his surgery. Kenneth tells our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), “my parents could not [let me attend] high school because they are poor. That is why I started my small business. I hope to have my own DVD and music shop.” For $1125, Kenneth will undergo open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) surgery to repair the breaks in his humerus and hand. This operation will reset his bones so they heal properly and restore his hand and arm's function. Kenneth says, “I am looking forward to a successful surgery.”

Meet, Alinafe, a one-year old baby girl living in Malawi. To support the family, “Alinafe’s mother runs a small scale business to earn their living,” shares our medical partner, World Altering Medicine (WAM). At a crucial point in her early childhood development, Alinafe has experienced growth issues as a result of a condition called hydrocephalus. Alinafe was brought to WAM’s clinic when her mother observed a growth on her head. A medical examination confirmed the diagnosis of hydrocephalus. Hydrocephalus is a rare neurological medical condition caused by a fluid buildup in a localized area of the brain. Without intervention, the pressure and fluid buildup can lead to long term health complications, especially throughout important stages of childhood development. At this point, Alinafe is beginning to have problems with her vision and is experiencing issues with walking. With, $992, Alinafe will undergo surgery to drain the excess fluid from her brain. This procedure will be done by means of an endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV), which will naturally drain out the blocked fluid. In addition to her operation, Alinafe will receive seven days of hospitalized care as well as all of the necessary preoperative and postoperative examinations required for a safe surgery. This procedure is expected to have a great impact on Alinafe’s childhood growth and overall health, allowing her to “regain her sight and start walking again,” comments WAM. “I am hopeful to have the surgery done,” Alinfe’s mother shares.

Mu is a resilient 42-year-old woman who escaped Burma amidst political conflict 10 years ago, and has been living in a refugee camp in Thailand ever since. Mu takes care of her sister, niece, and nephew, and she used to work as a day laborer with her husband to earn an income to support their family. However, she was diagnosed with a uterine myoma, and she experiences severe abdominal pain that prevents her from working. Mu’s family does not have enough money to support themselves and Mu’s care. She tells us, “it is a very big problem. I cannot take care of my niece and nephew, and I cannot work to provide for my family. I want to be able to cook and clean for my family, and I want to be able to return to work as soon as possible.” For $1500, Mu will undergo surgery under the Burma Border Projects’ care. Surgery will remove the tumor and eliminate the abdominal pain and discomfort so that Mu can return to work and supporting her family. Let's help make it happen!

"Augustina is the first of two children of her mother who is a single parent," says our medical partner, Ortho FOCOS. "She is currently in school studying with the hope of becoming a lawyer and a writer in the future." Augustina is a 15-year-old girl from Ghana. She was first diagnosed with scoliosis in July 2013, and was supposed to undergo surgery the following November. However, due to a lack of funds, she had to cancel the surgery. She still lives with scoliosis, almost two years later. "She is unable to do strenuous work and can no longer attend school," says OF. "Her condition has affected her social life because she feels uncomfortable in the midst of her colleagues. She has resorted to putting on very big clothes to conceal her deformity whenever she attends any social gathering." Raising Hope Africa and FOCOS has contributed $7500 toward the cost of Augustina's corrective treatment. However, she still needs $1500 to fund overseas preparation and transportation to receive care. "With surgery, Augustina is expected to live a full, productive and healthy life," OF tells us. "She feels hopeful that she will one day get the needed support to help her undergo surgery."

Meet Nasra! She is just under two-years-old, and lives in Tanzania with her father. She likes to play with Lego blocks and with other children. Nasra was born with bilateral clubfoot, which means that her foot is twisted and her sole cannot be placed flat on the ground. She started getting treatment for this condition when she was only one week old, but serious family complications disrupted her treatment altogether. Nasra’s father is raising her by himself. He lost his wife when Nasra was just a baby, and spent his life savings on his wife’s medical treatments. He tells us: “My daughter is all I have now. I long to see her able to step on both of her feet properly without limping. I plan to take her to school in a few years to come, and having the ability to walk properly will help her not only walk faster but also keep up with other children.” Nasra needs medical attention, or she runs the risk of developing osteoarthritis at a very young age. For $1160, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, can treat Nasra's clubfoot. After surgery, she is expected to walk normally and make a full recovery. Let's help make it happen!

Meet Anthony, a three-day-old baby boy from Kenya! He is the fifth child in his immediate family, and his parents are farmers. Anthony was born with spina bifida, meaning he has a cystic mass on his lower back. He needs surgery immediately, or risks getting an infection or developing conditions that could pose serious health risks later in life. Anthony’s parents don’t earn very much, and cannot afford the $805 needed for Anthony’s surgery to close the mass on his back. "It's been a struggle over the last three days for my family, and I hope that my son will find treatment. We don’t have resources, but I hope that we’ll get support," Anthony's mother says. Let’s fund Anthony's treatment and give this little baby a chance to grow into a healthy child!