Three month old Keziah lives with her parents and two older siblings in Kenya. Her father, who works as an artist, is the sole breadwinner for the family. Keziah was born with open spina bifida and bilateral club feet. Spina bifida is a type of neural tube defect, in which the spine does not properly close around the spinal cord. While she has undergone some therapy for her condition, without additional treatment, Keziah is at risk of lower limb paralysis, infection of the exposed nervous tissue, and developmental delays. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,151 to cover the cost of Keziah's spina bifida closure surgery. The procedure is scheduled to take place on January 5th at BethanyKids Kijabe Hospital. This surgery will hopefully spare Keziah from the risks associated with her condition, allowing her to grow and develop along a healthy trajectory. Keziah's father says: “She is a jovial kid. We are sad that she is unwell. I hope that she is treated, and she can walk in the future.”

Faith, who is 29 years old, lives in Kenya with her young son. Both of her parents died when she was young, and she was raised by her grandmother. She was unable to pursue her education due to financial constraints, so today she washes clothes for a living. As her husband passed away two years ago in a traffic accident, she works hard to support herself and her son. Faith has lived with severe hearing loss throughout her whole life. Sadly, her grandmother couldn't afford to get Faith the help that she needed. But when Faith brought her son in to get care to address his hearing loss, the doctors determined that Faith needed help, as well. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is seeking $1,171 so that Faith can get hearing aids to treat the condition she has lived with for so long. She will be receiving care from AIC Kijabe Hospital. Faith says: “I have struggled with hearing loss since birth. I never had a chance to get treatment due to financial constraints. I hope to be able to hear well.“

Rabira is a 20-month-old toddler from Ethiopia, who loves playing with his toy cars and laughing with his parents. Rabira's mother and father have separated, and his father has taken it upon himself to raise Rabira and his one sibling. Rabira's father, who had to leave school when he was young, is starting to attend night classes, so that he can gain more education, and find work that will provide for his family. Soon after he was born, Rabira's father noticed that Rabira suffered from problems going to the bathroom. He brought Rabira to the nearby health center for evaluation, where it was determined that he had been born with hypospadias. If his condition is left untreated, Rabira would continue to experience urinary dysfunction, and might develop cancer or fertility issues later on. Due to financial constraints, Rabira's parents were unable to access care for him at the local hospital. Fortunately, the family was referred to our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, and now Rabira is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on October 24th, at BethanyKids Myungsung Christian Medical Centre. African Mission Healthcare Foundation is requesting $1,293 to cover the total cost of Rabira's procedure and care. Rabira's mother said: “After the surgery, I hope he will be normal and pass urine normally as other children. And if he gets better I want him to go to school and graduate school. Become a person who earns well and supports himself. And when I get old I hope he will be able to support me.”

Elisante is a 16-year-old boy from Tanzania. He lives in Arusha with his mother and father. He has five siblings. Elisante loves playing football and enjoys watching matches on television. In 2020, Elisante was playing football and hit his leg. He experienced pain in his leg, swelling, and discomfort walking. After about a month, his leg began to feel better and he continued his usual activities. However, Elisante identifies this injury as the start of various issues with his legs. Recently, Elisante was diagnosed with windswept deformity. His legs bow both inward and outward, causing a windswept appearance. As a result, he experiences difficulty walking. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is requesting $880 to fund corrective surgery for Elisante. The procedure is scheduled to take place on July 21st. Treatment will hopefully restore Elisante's mobility, allow him to participate in his usual activities, and decrease his risk of future complications. Ephraim says: “I can no longer play football much. Walking has become challenging and I can no longer wear shorts due to how my legs are bent. I would be grateful if I had this surgery.”

Brandon is a 9-year-old student who is an active and social boy in class 4. He likes playing football and socializing with others. He aspires to become a doctor in the future so that he can perform surgeries for children. He is the first born in a family of 3 children. His mother is a housewife, while his father is a businessman. Brandon was born with clubfoot of both feet. He underwent serial casting treatment at a young age, where he wore a series of casts to gradually move the feet to the correct position. The right foot was corrected, but the left foot reverted back to clubfoot. He has been having difficulties walking and playing football, his favorite sport. Fortunately, Brandon and his parents traveled to visit our medical partner African Mission Healthcare (AMH). He has been being treated with serial casting for the left foot again to soften the tissues and is scheduled to undergo a clubfoot repair surgery on August 16th. AMH is requesting $1,286 to fund Brandon's clubfoot repair. The treatment will be impactful because he will be able to walk confidently and play football with his friends. Brandon’s mother shared, “I would love to see my son walking like other children and achieve his dream career of becoming a doctor.”

Moe is 42-year-old man from Thailand. He lives with his mother, sister, brother and nephew on the Thai-Burma border. They are all unemployed due to the difficulties of the local situation. In his free time, he enjoys playing badminton and designing t-shirts. On July 3rd, Moe was playing badminton with his friends when he slipped and fell. After he fell he could not move and experienced pain in his right leg. He received an x-ray at Mae Sot Hospital and was diagnosed with fractures in his right tibia and fibula (both bones in the lower leg). He experiences extreme pain in his right leg. He cannot move or lift it, nor can he comfortably sit up. Due to the pain, he cannot sleep well, and he has little appetite. He needs to rely on his brother for all personal care. With the help of our medical partner Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), Moe will undergo surgery to reset his fractured bones and ensure proper healing. The procedure is scheduled for July 20th and BCMF is requesting $1,500 to fund his treatment. This procedure will help Moe walk again and be free of pain. He will no longer have to rely on his brother to help him with personal care. Moe shared, “I feel so upset because I never thought that I would be like this [bed-bound]. I want to have my surgery soon because I feel a lot of pain in my right leg. I am really thankful for the donors who are paying for my treatment."

Jeremy is a two-year-old toddler from Haiti. He lives with his parents, who run a small grocery kiosk in Port-au-Prince. He is their only child. Jeremy was born with ventricular septal defect (VSD). VSD is a cardiac condition where there is a small hole in the wall that separates the heart's lower chambers. Due to this hole, oxygen-rich blood mixes with oxygen-poor blood, causing weakness and shortness of breath. On June 12th, Jeremy will undergo cardiac surgery in the Dominican Republic. During this procedure, surgeons will sew a patch over the hole in Jeremy's heart so that his blood can't leak through it. Our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance (HCA), is contributing $8000 to pay for surgery. However, Jeremy's family needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep and transport. Jeremy's family is requesting $1,500 to cover labs, medicines, and preoperative and postoperative appointments. This sum will also support passport obtainment and the social workers from HCA who will accompany Jeremy's family overseas. Jeremy's mother said: "Our family is very excited to know that our son has been chosen for surgery. We're all praying for him."

Meet Salmin, an adored newborn baby from Tanzania and the youngest in his family of four children. His father is a soldier and must spend most of his time away from home, and his mother is a teacher. Salmin was born with clubfoot on his right foot and hyperextension on his left knee. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape, which causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Salmin’s parents want to ensure he receives the best care to grow up to live a healthy and fulfilling life. When they learned about our medical partner’s care center, they brought him in for assessment and treatment. Salmin will first receive non-surgical care that involves gentle manipulation and casting of his right foot. Over the course of several weeks, Salmin’s foot angle will gradually improve; then, he will undergo tenotomy surgery on May 16th. After treatment, Salmin will be able to walk easily as he grows and reaches the walking stage. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is requesting $935 to fund Salmin’s surgery. Salmin’s mother said: “I have been constantly worried since I got news of my son’s condition. I am hopeful that with the right treatment, he will be fine.”