Byafandimu is a small scale farmer from Uganda. She is a widow and a mother to five children all are peasants, three married and one still single. Byafandimu lost the husband in1987 and she has been practicing small scale farming to support herself and children. For some time now, Byafandimu began to experience troubling symptoms, including disfigurement of the neck, shortness of breath and difficulty speaking. She was diagnosed with a goiter, an abnormal enlargement of the thyroid gland. She needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Byafandimu receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on August 20th at our medical partner's care center. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $240, and she and her family need help raising money. Byafandimu says, “I am looking forward to being rid of the disfigurement and its symptoms."

Sara is a 30-year-old rice farmer from Cambodia. He likes to listen to music, watch television, and play soccer in his free time. Ten years ago, Sara had an ear infection. This infection caused the tympanic membrane, or the ear drum, in his left ear to perforate. For this reason, Sara experiences ear drainage, hearing loss, itchiness, and tinnitus. He has reoccurrent infections and cannot hear properly. Sara traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On March 18, he will undergo a myringoplasty procedure in his left ear. During this procedure, surgeons will close the perforation. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $423 to fund this procedure. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care. He says, "I hope that I will get my hearing back and that my ear will heal."

Ebeneza is a toddler from Tanzania. He is the youngest in a family of six children. Ebeneza has clubfoot of both feet. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, Ebeneza traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on April 5. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $890 to fund Ebeneza's clubfoot repair. Ebeneza’s mother says, “Please help our son we have tried to treat our son but nothing has worked so far.”

James is a baby from Kenya. He is the youngest in a family of five siblings. James was born with hypospadias, a congenital abnormality that causes urinary dysfunction. Without treatment, he will continue to experience uncomfortable symptoms and will be at risk of infertility. Fortunately, James is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on February 11. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $676 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. “Please help me," says James's mother.

Seyha is a 19-year-old tuk-tuk driver who has two sisters and one brother. He likes to watch movies, listen to the radio, and relax at home. In September, Seyha was in a motor vehicle accident that caused him head trauma. He was in a coma in a hospital in Vietnam for two weeks. He regained consciousness, but he developed a chronic dislocation of his left hip that made it difficult for him to walk. Seyha was in pain, and he became unable to work to support his family. When Seyha learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), he traveled for seven hours to seek treatment. On December 14, surgeons at CSC performed an open reduction internal fixation procedure to heal Seyha's left hip. After recovery, he should be able to walk easily again. CSC is requesting $411 to fund this procedure.