Meet Uzeyfen, a two-month-old baby boy living in Ethiopia with his parents. Uzeyfen was born with a birth defect known as anorectal malformation. According to our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, (AMHF), "Children with this defect have an imperforate anus or they have no opening where the anus should have been. Uzeyfen developed bowel obstruction because of this condition and an emergency colostomy was successfully done when he was four days old." Uzeyfen has not yet had the definitive procedure to treat this condition; Posterior sagittal anorectoplasty (PSARP) and colostomy closure. As a result, he cannot pass stool in the normal way. Uzeyfen's mother is worried about her son because there is a high social stigma against children with this condition. Although Uzeyfen's father works hard in a government office to provide for his family, his income is not enough to cover all of the medical procedures that Uzeyfen needs. With a donation of $1,500 we can help Uzeyfen recover without long-term complications from his imperforate anus. He will undergo a PSARP procedure and a colostomy closure. After these two procedures, "Uzeyfen will then be able to pass stool in a normal way," AMHF says. "When we were informed there is hope for our baby to get treatment through donors, we were happy and full of hope,” shared Uzeyfen's parents in their pre-operative interview at AMHF.

Seven-year-old Elia lives in Tanzania with his parents and seven siblings. "He very much enjoys playing football even though he cannot run very quickly," says our medical partner African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). That is because Elia was born with congenital bilateral clubfoot, which caused both of his feet to grow inward and with very high arches. Elia has done his best to live a normal childhood despite having this condition. "He started class one, but he had to quit school because it was difficult for him to walk the long distance to school," says AMHF. If not properly treated, Elia will continue to have difficulty walking and he will also be at risk of developing early osteoarthritis. "Due to the severity of his condition, doctors saw it was best for his feet to be treated one at a time," AMHF continues. "His right foot was successfully corrected and he now needs the left foot to be corrected as well." Unfortunately, funding this second operation has been difficult for Elia's family. His parents are small scale farmers, but their small earnings are barely enough to support their large family--let alone a surgery. $1,660 will fund the treatment Elia needs. These funds will cover the costs of his operation where doctors will surgically release the overly tight tendons in his left foot that are causing it to turn inward. Then his foot and ankle joints can be re-aligned, and casts will hold them in place while they heal. To ensure that these casts are properly cared for, Elia will also receive rehabilitation care for about four months. After recovering from his procedure, Elia will have a better gait and reduce his risk for developing osteoarthritis at an early age. "When I can walk properly I will be happy to go back to school," Elia shares.

Nine-month-old Konjit was born with a birth defect called anorectal malformation. "She has only one functional hole," shares our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). "As a result, she cannot pass stool and urine in a normal way. Both come through only one hole." Due to the absence of her anus, Konjit is also exposed to infection and irritation. Konjit’s parents are from the southern part of Ethiopia. Both her parents are farmers with low income that can’t cover much more than food. For this reason, they don’t have the capacity to get their child the treatment she needs, and to pay her medical bill. Konjit is very beautiful and enjoys playing and laughing with her mom. This condition is causing her parents a lot of worry. Treatment for Konjit is a three-part surgery. Konjit may or may not need a colostomy - doctors will determine this after the first surgery. If in case colostomy is done, she will have a colostomy closure in 2-3 months after the anorectoplasty procedure. AMHF expects that after treatment, Konjit will be able to pass stool and urine normally, and the risk of infection and irritation will be reduced. “I have been in different hospitals but I couldn’t get any solution because of my low financial status," shares Konjit's mother. "When we come here all we have is a glimpse of hope for our baby to get the treatment. And it is our prayer for our hope to come true."

Blessing is a 35-year-old seamstress from Nigeria who has one older and four younger siblings. Our medical partner, Hope for West Africa, tells us she has a "sweet personality" and likes to cook. Blessing was recently diagnosed with uterine fibroids, painful noncancerous growths in the uterus. As a result, she has been having painful, prolonged menstrual periods and difficulty urinating. "Due to the pains and prolonged menstrual flow she hasn't been concentrating in her business of making clothes," shares Hope for West Africa, our medical partner. Blessing is unable to pay for treatment, as she contributes part of her income to help her siblings attend school. For $1,500 we can fund surgery to remove the growths, relieving Blessing's pain. The funding will also cover hospitalization and recovery. "Blessing looks forward to when she can concentrate and spend most days in her shop without pain and heavy flow," the staff at Hope for West Africa adds.

Charles is a 24-year-old former student living with his mother and father in Kenya. Charles graduated from college with a degree in Information Technology in 2014. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, tells us that in June 2014, Charles’s parents were burglarized by armed robbers. Charles attempted to intervene, and both he and his mother were fired upon and seriously injured. Charles’s mother took a bullet to her hand, and has lost the ability to use it. Charles sustained a fracture in his left lower leg that has developed into a nonunion. He currently walks with crutches, and has a significant amount of pain and numbness in his left leg. His father is employed as a driver, and his mother used to sell vegetables. His older sibling is unemployed, and does little support the family. Charles has found that his injury has been preventing him from securing a job that pays enough to afford treatment. He has been reduced to a dependent of his parents. His parents have been attempting to save for treatment as well, but their household income has seen a large deficit since his mother is injured as well. His family has decided that the priority treatment should be for Charles’s nonunion fracture so that he work a higher-paid job and support the family. “I would like to get well,” Charles shares, “and be able to walk on my so I can support my mum’s treatment, too.” A nonunion fracture is a serious complication that develops if a fracture moves too much to stall or halt normal healing. In most cases, if a fracture has not been treated after six months, then orthopedic surgical intervention is necessary. Charles needs an open reduction internal fixation procedure to repair his leg. The procedure includes the insertion of steel rods, screws, or plates to keep the fracture stable during healing. After his cast is removed, Charles will undergo physical therapy to regain his strength. Charles’s family is in need of financial assistance. $1,410 will cover the cost of treatment he needs, in addition to his family's contribution of $210. Without treatment, Charles is exposed to risks of infection that may result in amputation. His leg deteriorates further the longer he is untreated. After his treatment, Charles’s pain will eventually be resolved, and he will be able to walk and work again. Let's help make it happen!