Saorith is ten years old and in the third grade. He has three older sisters and two older brothers. He likes to draw pictures and read books in his free time. When Saorith was four years old, he developed an ear infection that spread to both ears and caused a perforation of the tympanic membrane in both ears. He was treated with ear drops, but his symptoms did not improve. Since then, he experienced ear discharge, hearing loss, pain, and buzzing in his ears. He had difficulty hearing at school, and he was in pain. Saorith's parents learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), from an NGO in Phnom Penh that specializes in hearing disabilities. The family traveled for six hours to seek treatment. On December 13, ENT surgeons at CSC performed a mastoidectomy procedure in Saorith's right ear to relieve him of his symptoms. After recovery, Saorith's hearing will improve. Now, CSC is requesting $842 in funding. "I hope the operation stops the ear discharge and gives me good hearing," says Saorith. "I want to be a doctor."

Bumo is a 10-year-old boy from Ethiopia who enjoys playing with his friends. Bumo was born with a congenital anomaly called epispadias, or an abnormal placement of the urethral opening. The condition affects both Bumo and his parents psychologically and socially. His parents worry that he is different from other kids and are concerned that, without treatment, Bumo may not be able to have children. Treatment for Bumo is epispadias repair, a procedure that will ultimately enable normal urination and prevent urinary tract infections. Bumo’s parents are farmers whose income is insufficient to feed the family. Unfortunately, this year’s harvest is low due to last year's rainfall shortage, worsening their financial status. As a result, they cannot afford to pay for the surgery that Bumo needs. $1,105 pays for Bumo's surgery as well as his hospital stay, lab tests, medicine, and imaging. “I always worried about his condition but because of my financial problem," shares Bumo's father, "Because I can’t afford the bill for the treatment required, he could not get the treatment until now. I hope now this problem will be gone.”

Kyampeire is a 20-year-old woman from Uganda who is expecting her first child."Her baby has, however, presented in breech, making a natural delivery dangerous for both mother and child," our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), tells us. "From the time she was six months pregnant, she experienced severe abdominal pain," AMHF shares. After visiting multiple clinics and taking medicine, the pain still persists. Breech presentation is a positioning of the baby in the womb feet or buttocks first rather than head first, which is the safest position. It occurs in every four out of 100 births. In this situation, Kyampeire will need a C-section to safely deliver her baby. A natural birth for a baby with breech presentation can greatly increase the chance of mortality for the mother and baby. With a C-section, the risk is reduced and the baby will be born safely. When she first found out that she would need a C-section, Kyampeire felt stranded. Her husband works as a "bodaboda", or a motorbike taxi operator, but his income alone is not enough to cover the cost of Kyampeire's procedure. Fortunately, $160 covers the cost of the entire procedure, four days in the hospital, and any necessary medications. "Kyampeire's baby shall be saved from any danger at birth," AMHF reports. With our support, Kyampeire will be able to welcome her baby to the world without worrying about her safety or its safety during delivery. "I hope to return home with my baby safe and alive," Kyampeire shares with us.