Meet Kilai, a 17-year-old boy living in Tanzania. Kilai has been working as a shepherd since he was a young boy, but his right knee started to progressively bow inwards when he was five years old, which has limited his ability to work. Kilai has a condition called genu valgus, also known as "knock knees." Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), explains that this condition “has completely changed his gait and ability to be as active as he used to.” Left untreated, Kilai will most likely develop osteoarthritis at a young age. Although Kilai’s mother does beadwork and his father is a livestock keeper, they are not able to afford the cost of corrective surgery. For $940, Kilai will receive surgery and physiotherapy to correct his gait. After surgery, "Kilai will have a straight leg, the ability to walk without knocking his knees and reduced risk of developing osteoarthritis at a young age," AMHF says. “Herding cattle is what I do best. I will be happy to regain my ability to walk properly and walk a long distance without feeling pain,” Kilai shares.

Myint, a 52-year-old mother of four, runs a small flower shop. Our medical partner, Burma Border Projects (BBP), tells us she lives with her youngest daughter and son-in-law in Burma. Three years ago, Myint was carrying a heavy object when she felt her uterus prolapse. This condition occurs when the muscles surrounding the uterus weaken, causing the uterus to shift out if its normal position. Over time, these muscles continue to weaken. “Gradually Myint’s prolapsed uterus became bigger and she also experiences pain in her abdomen,” her doctor says. Due to this, Myint finds it hard to work and support her family financially. For $1,500, Myint will receive a total abdominal hysterectomy. This operation will remove both her uterus and cervix, preventing the problem from returning in the future. Once she undergoes surgery, Myint looks forward to returning to work, sharing, “I want to earn more money, be happy and healthy.”

Meet Zuhura, a two-month-old baby girl from Tanzania. Zuhura lives with her mother and her grandparents, who work on a farm to support the family. Zuhura was born with a condition called hydrocephalus, in which an excess of cerebrospinal fluid builds up, creating heavily pressurized areas in the brain. “Zuhura’s head circumference has been gradually increasing,” says our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). “She has a fever, is not feeding well and often cries.” As Zuhura grows and develops throughout her childhood, this condition could pose serious health complications, including vision loss and limited physical mobility. For $775, she will receive surgery in which a shunt will be placed in her head to reroute the cerebrospinal fluid to the abdomen, where it can be more easily absorbed. “We expect that the insertion of a shunt shall stop Zuhura's head from getting larger and prevent the loss of her sight,” says AMHF. “I hope my baby will get better,” shares Zuhura’s mother. “I will be happy to see her grow up like other children and later on go to school and eventually support herself and others too.”