Julia is pregnant with her second child. So far, the pregnancy has gone well, with the exception of lower abdominal pain as the due date draws nearer. Continued medical attention will ensure Julia and the baby stay healthy, despite the tragic odds of maternal mortality in Kenya. Lwala Community Alliance provides healthcare and education to the women in its community to keep them healthy as possible. Its maternal health program teaches mothers how to care for themselves. When asked what she hoped for, Julia replied: “I would want to see my child go to school when she grows up and get a job. I pray that I remain healthy so that I can take care of my kids and to have a safe delivery.” For $215, Julia and her baby will receive prenatal care at Lwala’s clinic. Julia will also be able to deliver her baby in a hospital and get a post-birth checkup for mom and baby.

Gift is less than a year old. She was born to loving parents with a serious birth defect called nasal encephalocele. Nasal Encephalocele occurs when the neural tube (the embryo’s precursor to the central nervous system) fails to close completely during fetal development, resulting in a swollen area on the head or neck. In Gift’s case, her nasal encephalocele presents in the area between her forehead and nose. Gift’s condition is visibly affecting her life. It obstructs most of her face and her eyesight, and most critically, it’s starting to interfere with her breathing. If left untreated, it will continue to grow, causing more serious symptoms and threatening Gift’s life. Gift’s mother brought her to CURE’s hospital in Zambia in hopes they might be able to help. Gift’s condition is serious, but they believe that with surgery, they can remove the abnormal tissue and relieve Gift’s symptoms. In the email submitting her profile, Gift’s doctors tell us, “Her parents didn’t hesitate to take her to a hospital. We hope to help her the best we can.” The one thing her parents do need help with is funding. In Zambia, most people live on less than $2 a day. A surgery like the one Gift needs is financially unimaginable for her family. We need to raise the $1000 they need to get their daughter healthy and give her hope for a normal life.

In the email introducing us to her, our Medical Partner says, “Angel is as her name suggests, an angel, beautiful and bright eyed.” Angel has a big personality. She lives with her mother and her two siblings, and she says she wants to be a tailor when she grows up. Angel’s bright future is threatened, however, by an awful accident. When Angel was eight months old, her mother left her with her father while she went out to buy ingredients for dinner. Angel’s father wasn’t paying attention, and while Angel was playing, a kerosene lamp fell on her bed. Angel’s mother came home to find her young daughter’s feet on fire. She immediately covered them in a blanket and rushed her to the hospital, where Angel received first aid. However, her mother couldn’t afford any medical care beyond what she had already received. Five years later, simply because she was born into a community where the average income is less than $2 a day and she was unable to access proper medical care, Angel's burns have developed into scar contractures that make it impossible for her to walk. Doctors at African Mission Healthcare Foundation believe that with contracture release surgery, Angel will regain normal use of her feet. We need to raise the $1500 it will take to cover the cost of Angel’s surgery so that, despite this accident, she is able to live a normal life.