Sarorn is a 60-year-old mother of five from Cambodia. She has three sons and two daughters, and likes to make desserts and look after her family when she is not working. Three year ago, Sarorn had an ear infection. This infection caused a cholesteatoma, or an abnormal skin growth, to develop in the middle ear behind the ear drum. For this reason, Sarorn experiences headaches, dizziness, ear discharge, infection, and hearing loss. She is not able to hear others clearly, and this makes her husband and children worry about her alot. Sarorn traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On March 10th, she will undergo a mastoidectomy procedure in her right ear. During this procedure, ENT surgeons will remove the cholesteatoma. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $925 to fund this procedure. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care. "I hope that once my surgery is over, the ear infection will stop and I will be able to hear again," Sarorn shared.

Abdulkirim is a baby from Ethiopia. He is a cute boy who loves to play with other children and with his mom. He is a happy child and has one sibling. Abdulkirim underwent a colostomy, in which the end of the colon is brought through an opening in the abdominal wall. This surgery is often performed to bypass bowel malformations, but colostomies are usually temporary and may call for closure. In Abdulkirim's case, his colostomy requires closure in order to restore bowel function and prevent future complications. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,057 to cover the cost of a colostomy closure for Abdulkirim. The surgery is scheduled to take place on June 30 and, once completed, will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably and confidently. Abdulkirim's mom shared, "We sold all our animals and we asked for help from our community twice. When we came to Addis Ababa, our son had already undergone two operations and we were struggling with finances. We were out of money to even pay for our hotel. I was so worried and afraid, but we are now hopeful that he will get the surgery and it will be successful. We hope he will grow up to be a healthy boy and achieve a lot by getting a good education.”

Saw Eh is a 25-year-old man from Thailand. He lives with his wife and two children in a refugee camp in northern Thailand. He works as a security guard in the camp while his wife looks after their two young children. His family receives 821 baht (approx. 27 USD) each month from an organisation called The Border Consortium as part of their rations, and he also earns 700 baht (approx. 23 USD) in a month from working as a security guard. Their monthly income is just enough to pay for their basic expenses. In the early morning of June 1st, 2020, at around 9:00 am, Saw Eh left the camp to forage for bamboo shoots in the jungle. While climbing over some slippery boulders, a few larger rocks from above him rolled down towards him. Unfortunately, Saw Eh could not avoid the falling rocks and was hit on the head and right leg. He was knocked unconscious and had no idea how long it took him to regain consciousness. When he did, he was in severe pain and cried out loudly for help. Luckily, a man was nearby and heard him shouting for help. The man fetched a few others to help him carry Saw Eh to the clinic in the refugee camp. At the clinic, the medic directly referred Saw Eh to Mae Sariang Hospital, as they knew they could not treat him in the camp. When he arrived at Mae Sariang Hospital, he received an x-ray, which confirmed that both bones in Saw Eh's right lower leg are fractured. The doctor then referred him to a hospital in Chiang Mai immediately, as he would need to receive surgery at a larger hospital, to ensure his leg heals properly. Currently, Saw Eh's right leg is in pain as well as his head. He cannot walk nor move his right leg. With the help of our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, Saw Eh will undergo surgery to reset his fractured bones and ensure proper healing. The procedure is scheduled for June 1st and will cost $1,500. The surgery will stop Saw Eh from being in pain and will help his leg heal properly. He will then be able to walk again.

Belinda is a young lady from Kenya and the last born in a family of five children. She has lost her father and two siblings, leaving her mother with the task of caring for her and her nieces and nephews. Her mother notes that she cares for more than 12 grandchildren in her house, relying on her small piece of land to make ends meet. Belinda was born with spina bifida and received a shunt insertion surgery when she was young. Six years ago, Belinda developed a wound on her gluteal region. However, she did not go to the hospital since the wound was not painful. In late 2019, the wound became septic with pus discharge. Belinda stopped schooling in 2015 due to stigma from other students and she relies on a wheelchair for her movement. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Belinda receive the treatment she needs. On June 12th, surgeons will perform a debridement and skin graft procedure to relieve Belinda of the gluteal ulcers she has. Following treatment, Belinda will lead a more comfortable life. Now, we need help to fund this $1,129 procedure. Belinda’s mother says, “My prayer is to have my child treated since the wound looks bad.”