Serey is a three-year-old boy from Cambodia. He lives with his parents and three older siblings. His father works as a construction worker, and his mother works in a mango jam factory. His siblings are all students. In his free time, he enjoys playing with toy cars and eating all kinds of soup, especially lemongrass sour soup. Serey was born with syndactyly of both hands, meaning his 3rd and 4th fingers on both hands are fused. This makes it difficult for him to use his hands comfortably and affects his confidence around others. Fortunately, on April 23rd, our medical partner, the Children's Surgical Centre, will assist Serey in undergoing syndactyly repair surgery to separate and release the fused fingers. This procedure will cost $462, and Serey needs your support to fund the surgery. Serey's father said, “After the surgery, I hope that my son will be able to use his hands more freely and comfortably in his daily life. I also hope he will gain confidence, no longer feel shy about his appearance, and be able to interact and play happily with others like any other child.”

Pheareak is a 33-year-old soldier living in Preah Vihear Province, Cambodia. He lives with his wife, who works in a garment factory, and their son, who is a kindergarten student. In his free time, he enjoys playing volleyball with friends in the village. About six months ago, Pheareak had an ear infection. This infection caused the tympanic membrane, or the eardrum, in his right ear to perforate. For this reason, Pheareak experiences ringing in his ear, hearing loss, and ear pain. He experiences difficulty hearing, which affects daily communication and quality of life. The ear pain also causes discomfort, especially in cold weather. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is helping Pheareak receive treatment. On April 2nd, he will undergo a myringoplasty procedure in his right ear. During this procedure, surgeons will close the perforation. Pheareak can contribute $100, but needs help raising $263 more to fund his procedure and care. Pheareak said, “After the surgery, I hope that the ringing in my right ear and hearing loss will improve, the pain in my ear will go away, and I will be able to hear normally again.”

Sisay is a healthcare worker from Ethiopia. At just 26 years old, this young man is a vital heartbeat for the healthcare center where he works. As a key member of the staff, he serves as the bridge between the clinic and the community. At home, he is the pillar for his two siblings, balancing the roles of breadwinner and protector. However, a grueling battle with chronic tonsillitis is slowly silencing the very voice he needs to build his career, and has made it challenging to do his work. Sisay shares how heartbreaking it is when the illness breaks his focus, keeping him from the job he loves. About one and a half years ago, Sisay began experiencing a difficulty in breathing, fever, pain, and exhaustion. Every day is a grueling battle against a searing sore throat, transforming his essential duties, from warmly greeting patients to managing a relentless stream of phone calls, into a profound and painful struggle. Sisay was recently diagnosed with enlarged tonsils, which, if not treated, will cause his symptoms to persist and possibly intensify over time. Despite the constant pain, he continued to serve at his local health station. He knew a tonsillectomy was necessary, but a lack of specialized doctors and medical equipment in his area kept that relief out of reach. The moment he heard about a new opportunity for care at our medical partner's care center, he was filled with hope. He arrived at Saglan Waje General Hospital, clutching his referral papers, ready for a second chance. Our medical partner, Saglan Wajee General Hospital, is requesting $700 to fund a tonsillectomy for Sisay, which is scheduled to take place on March 7th. During the procedure, surgeons will remove his tonsils, hopefully relieving Sisay of his symptoms, and allowing him to go back to work with ease. Sisay says: "I am so excited for the opportunity to interact freely with my siblings again, instead of just collapsing into bed exhausted every night. I feel ready to truly show up for my patients as well as my siblings, and build the stable, happy future we all deserve together."

Zubeir is a 20-month-old baby from Kenya. His father takes on occasional environmental cleaning jobs offered by the government, work that may come only once or twice a year. Seven months after Zubeir was born, his parents began to notice something that unsettled their hearts. Zubeir has been diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain and increases intracranial pressure. As a result of his condition, Zubeir has been experiencing his head growing larger than normal. They rushed him to a nearby medical facility in their desperation for answers. The family was referred to our medical partner's care center, BethanyKids Kijabe Hospital, for specialized care. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $719 to cover the cost of surgery for Zubeir that will treat his hydrocephalus. The procedure is scheduled to take place on February 12th and will drain the excess fluid from Zubeir's brain. This will reduce intracranial pressure and greatly improve his quality of life. With proper treatment, Zubeir will hopefully develop into a strong, healthy young boy. “Every day I see him, I see strength and possibility. I pray the surgery will help him shine even brighter,” Zubeir’s father shared.

Moulan is a four-year-old kindergarten student from Cambodia. She lives with her parents in a small neighborhood in Battambang province. Her father is a public servant, and her mother works at a construction equipment shop. She is the only child of the family. She is a smart kid who enjoys writing and reading Khmer literature and playing with toy cars and dolls with her cousins. Her favorite dishes are pizza and various kinds of soup. She dreams of becoming a soldier when she grows up. Moulan was born with amniotic band syndrome, resulting in the absence of her right leg. After undergoing a modified Marquardt procedure with fibula reconstruction, she developed a below-knee amputation stump infection. It causes pain and mild discharge, preventing her from maintaining proper hygiene, wearing her prosthetic leg, and walking comfortably. When Moulan's parents learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), they traveled for six hours to seek treatment. On January 22nd, surgeons at CSC will perform a debridement procedure to treat the stump infection and promote healing, allowing her to wear her prosthetic leg, reduce pain, and regain the ability to walk and move independently. Now, Moulan needs help to fund this $417 procedure. Moulan's mother said, “After the surgery, I hope that my daughter will properly heal, so she can wear her prosthetic leg and walk around easily.”

Robert is a 3-year-old from Tanzania. He is shy when meeting new people, but is active and playful with other kids. Robert is the firstborn in a family of two children, and he enjoys spending time with his young sister, who is still a baby. Robert was diagnosed with bilateral genu varus, a condition that has caused his knees to bend outwards. With bilateral genu varus, the knees can be angled inwards or outwards, making it difficult to walk and may cause long-term joint damage. Several factors can cause this condition, such as growth disorders, vitamin deficiencies, or excessive fluoride found in contaminated drinking water. Robert's condition has been linked to fluorosis, a condition common in some regions due to the water quality. His parents first noticed the bowing of his legs when Robert was around one year old. Following advice from neighbors and relatives, they initially tried strengthening exercises, hoping this would resolve the condition. However, when his condition did not improve, they sought care at a nearby hospital, where Robert was given braces, though it was challenging to use these consistently, and the condition continued to worsen. After learning about our medical partner's care center, Kafika House, from a former patient's family, Robert's parents made the long journey to the hospital, hoping for a solution. On January 9th, Robert will undergo bilateral proximal tibial osteotomy (PTO) surgery at Kafika House. This treatment will restore Robert's mobility, allow him to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease his risk of future complications. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $810 to fund treatment for Robert. Robert's father said, "This condition has us concerned because of the pain he feels while trying to walk. I wish for the pain to stop so that he can walk and play freely."

Grace is a 35-year-old woman from Uganda. She currently engages in small-scale farming together with her husband. Two years ago, Grace began to experience troubling symptoms, including lower abdominal pain, which has prevented her from carrying out her farming activities because she is unable to bend. She visited different clinics but was only given painkillers that did not help. She also tried using local herbs, but all was in vain. Grace attended a community outreach program, where she received information that her condition could be treated at our medical partner's care center, Rwibaale Health Center. At the hospital, she was diagnosed with an ovarian mass. Physicians recommend surgery to remove the mass. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $230 to fund Grace's surgery. On February 13th, she will undergo mass removal surgery, which should greatly improve her quality of life. Grace says, "I hope to get rid of pain and resume my duties as a farmer."

Ra is a 68-year-old man from Siem Reap province in Cambodia. He and his wife have two children. His wife sells biscuits, their eldest child is a grocery seller, and their youngest is a car repairer. In his free time, Ra helps his wife with household and work-related tasks. In 2019, Ra began experiencing pain in his right hip due to avascular necrosis, a condition in which bone tissue dies due to a lack of blood supply, which caused a structural failure of his hip ball joint. Ra underwent a total hip replacement through our medical partner, Children's Surgical Center (CSC), at that time. However, over the past year, his pain has returned, and walking has become difficult. His x-ray showed that some of the acetabular cup and femoral stem (components from his hip replacement surgery) have come loose, leaving him unable to walk comfortably or perform daily activities. Ra was referred back to CSC for treatment. On April 8th, he will undergo a revision hip replacement procedure on his right hip. This surgery will stabilize the hip, relieve his pain, and restore his mobility. Ra was able to contribute $100 to his care and is requesting assistance to raise the remaining $1,400 to cover the cost of prosthesis, surgery, medications, post-operative care, and rehabilitation. Roth said, "I had a hip replacement in 2019, but over the past year, the pain has returned, and it's become difficult for me to walk. I hope further treatment will fix the problem and help me move comfortably again."

Brenda is a small-scale farmer from Uganda. She is the firstborn and the only girl among three siblings. Her two brothers work in the bodaboda motorcycle taxi business. She is married and has three children. The family mainly depends on farming, growing food crops such as beans, maize, and groundnuts primarily for home consumption and selling the surplus to earn a small income. During her free time, she enjoys cooking for her family. Brenda is currently expecting her fourth child. Her doctors recommend that she deliver via a caesarean section because of a high-risk pregnancy. This way, doctors can ensure the safety of both mother and child. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Brenda undergo a C-Section on January 15th. This procedure will cost $252, and Brenda needs your support. Brenda says, “With your support, I hope for an active and healthy baby because without your support, I am not in a position to raise the amount of money they need for my surgery. I kindly appeal for your support.”

Kelvin is an 18-year-old from Kenya. His mother is single and bringing up six children. She has had to depend on small-scale farming and casual jobs in her village to meet her children's needs and schooling. She describes raising her children as the most challenging journey of her life. Kelvin was involved in a serious road traffic accident one day while riding his brother's motorbike back home. He sustained an open fracture to his leg that was initially fixated and stabilized. Unfortunately, his recovery was beset with a series of recurrent infections, leading to a long and painful recovery and many hospital admissions. After his initial discharge, Kelvin continued his recovery at home with regular wound dressings. However, his condition worsened when he developed a sinus tract (a connection between a deep infection and the skin), and it was clear that his infection was persisting. He was readmitted to the hospital and eventually needed a skin graft and further antibiotics. The cost of this was provided by SAFE and this procedure was successful. Through it all, Kelvin endured chronic pain and disability, repeated surgeries, long hospital stays, and uncertainty became his daily reality. His mother has been by his side for all his procedures, but this has caused her considerable financial hardship. After many months Kelvin's wound is finally healed with no signs of infection. It is a remarkable recovery considering everything he has been through. But his recovery journey is not yet quite complete. The cost of his multiple surgeries has already exhausted all available resources, and his mother is unable to fund the last stage of Kelvin's recovery and treatment. Despite the substantial progress made, Kelvin’s leg remains unstable due to his partially healed fracture. He cannot walk without crutches, and even then, movement is painful and limited. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On March 18th, Kelvin will undergo a fracture repair procedure. For him to regain full function and return to a normal life, he now requires internal fixation with a bone graft, a crucial procedure to ensure proper bone healing. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,014 to fund this procedure. Kelvin says, "I have been through a lot of surgeries and am looking forward to a day when I will walk without support. Please help me achieve my dream of helping my mother."