Sambo, who is 11 years old, lives with her older sister and her retired grandmother in Pursat province in Cambodia. Her sister, who is 21 years old, works in a clothing factory. Sambo's parents are divorced, and her mother works in Phnom Penh, sending home money to ensure that Sambo eats well and stays in school. When Sambo was just a toddler, an incident caused pain and discomfort in both thighs. This has affected the development of her thigh and her gait, making it difficult for her to walk comfortably and keep up with her friends. At school, she feels conscious of the way she walks. A friend of her grandmother mentioned our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), where children can receive free or low-cost surgery. Sambo and her grandmother traveled for three and a half hours for a consultation, which resulted in a diagnosis of a right rectus femoris contracture. This condition occurs when the rectus femoris muscle in the right leg becomes shortened and tightened, which restricts the range of motion in knee flexion. On December 13th, Sambo will undergo contracture release surgery that will correct her gait, so that she can walk and run with her friends. Her family can contribute $100 but needs help to raise $387 more to cover the cost of surgery, medications, post-operative recovery, and physical rehabilitation. Sambo's grandmother said: "After her operation, I hope Sambo can walk well and have no pain."

Godwill is a 10-year-old boy and a fifth-grader from Kenya. He is the firstborn in a family of two children. His mother has a small-scale catering business and his father is a mechanic. When Godwill was two years old, his mother was changing his diaper and noticed that one of his testes was not in the right place. He had surgery then but, three years ago, it appears the condition reoccurred. Godwill was diagnosed with cryptorchidism, a condition in which one or both of the testicles remains undescended. If left untreated, Godwill has an increased risk of developing hernias, testicular cancer, and fertility problems in the future. Godwill will be receiving assistance from our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH). He is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on November 28th and AMH is requesting $483 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. Godwill's mother shared, “We hope our son can be treated so that he can have a healthy life.”

Joy is a six-year-old girl from Kenya. Her parents are farmers and work hard to support Joy and her sibling. Before her first birthday, Joy began falling ill frequently, suffering from fevers, and making frequent trips to the hospital. Despite multiple visits to various hospitals, her condition didn’t improve. Instead, she began having convulsions, and her health continued to decline. When she was two years old, Joy was brought to our medical partner's care center, AIC Kijabe Hospital. At that time, doctors noticed several developmental delays. Joy could sit up on her own but could not speak yet. She began attending a developmental clinic and after years of therapy, Joy started walking when she was five. Joy’s parents are grateful for the progress she’s made. Though she has never spoken, Joy is healthy and happy. In 2024, she enrolled in school but struggled to catch up with her peers. Recent tests revealed that Joy suffers from hearing loss, which has been preventing her from speaking. To help her develop speech, she needs hearing aids to perceive sounds. After six years of costly medical visits, Joy’s family is emotionally and financially exhausted, but they remain hopeful that she will overcome these challenges. Joy’s parents are now seeking financial assistance so that she can hear and continue her development. On December 6th, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is fitting Joy with hearing aids and they need your help to raise $748 to fund Joy's care. Joy’s father says, “Joy loves books. Every time she sees one, she goes through it fast. I know that with hearing aids, she’ll be able to learn so much faster.”

Abia is a small-scale farmer from Uganda. She has three children. Her husband makes and sells local porridge around their village. Abia is pregnant and doctors recommend that she deliver via a caesarean section due to a high-risk pregnancy. four previous scars. This way, doctors can ensure the safety of both mother and child. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Abia undergo a C-section on November 26th. This procedure will cost $214, and Abia needs your support. Abia says, “I pray for a successful surgery and a good outcome. May God bless me with a healthy baby. I will continue farming to support my family.”

Evan is a six-year-old boy who lives with his grandparents. He is an only child and his mother is a student pursuing fashion and design. His grandparents are farmers growing maize, beans, and potatoes. Evan came to our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, with symptoms of pain and progressive swelling to his left arm. He reports that he sustained an injury following a fall while playing in school. An x-ray revealed that Evan has a dislocation and fracture on his left arm. Evan underwent skin traction on a pole to help reduce the swelling and relieve his pain. He continues with limb elevation and pain management as he awaits surgery. On September 13th, Evan will undergo surgery to repair the dislocation and fracture. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $884 to fund Evan's surgery and care. After complete recovery, Evan should no longer be in pain and will be able to play with his friends again. Evan’s mother says “My son is in a lot of pain and unable to perform activities with his arm. Please help my child so that he can be able to go back to school.”

Rathanak is a 10-year-old boy from Cambodia. He lives with his parents and older brother. His father is a primary school teacher, while his mother works as a rice farmer. Rathanak is currently in fifth grade and enjoys Khmer and math classes. He dreams of becoming a nurse when he grows up. He likes to eat apples and oranges and enjoys drawing and coloring pictures. When Rathanak was four years old, he had a fever and received several injections in his right thigh. By the age of eight, Rathanak's parents noticed that he couldn’t fully bend his right knee. His parents took him to a local hospital and he was diagnosed with quadriceps fibrosis, a condition characterized by the thickening and scarring of the quadriceps muscle, which leads to limitations in knee movement. This condition causes difficulty in bending the knee fully and impacts his ability to walk normally, making it hard for him to run and play soccer with his friends at school. When Rathanak's parents learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, they traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On October 8th, surgeons at CSC will perform a quadricepsplasty procedure on his right leg. This procedure will allow him to bend his knee more fully and regain the ability to walk and run like other young boys. His family was able to contribute $100 towards his medical costs but needs help to raise the remaining $382. Rathanak's father said: "I hope after his operation he can play with his friends at school and be happy in the future."

Vathana is a six-year-old first-grader from Cambodia. He lives with his mother, who works as a document courier for a private company in Phnom Penh. Vathana's neighbors and relatives help care for him while his mother is at work. Vathana wants to be a nurse or a doctor when he grows up. At home, he enjoys eating Cambodian chicken soup and watching YouTube on his mom's phone. During his free time, he enjoys playing soccer with his friends. Vathana was diagnosed with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT), a hereditary neurological disorder that affects the peripheral nerves, leading to muscle weakness, loss of sensation, and difficulties with movement, especially in the feet and legs. Because of this condition, he walks abnormally and finds it difficult to run or play sports with other children. He needs to undergo a tendon and nerve repair procedure. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is helping Vathana receive treatment. He is scheduled to undergo the tendon and nerve repair procedure on November 21st. Vathana's family was able to contribute $100 towards his medical care but needs help raising the remaining $472 in funds. Vathana's mother shared, "I hope that after surgery, Vathana will be able to walk and run more easily, and be able to play happily with his friends."

Kimly is a four-year-old girl from Cambodia. She lives with her parents and two older siblings in Sihanouk province, approximately a five-hour bus trip to Phnom Penh City. She eagerly awaits the return of her two older siblings from school every day to play with them. Her parents work in a local mattress manufacturing factory, and she stays with her grandparents while her parents work. At home, she likes eggs and rice and enjoys playing jumping games with children her age. Eight months ago, Kimly's mother noticed a mass on the side of her neck close to her jaw. It causes her pain when she moves it with her tongue, and she has had several fevers since it developed. Her mother visited a local clinic where they gave Kimly medicine. The cyst has grown larger and her worried mother consulted with neighbors who told her to take Kimly to our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC). There, surgeons have determined that she has a thyroglossal cyst, which will need surgical removal. Her parents were relieved to hear that these kinds of cysts are almost always non-cancerous and should not grow back after removal. On November 28th, surgeons at Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), will remove the mass. Now, Kimly needs help to raise $273 to fund this procedure. Kimly's mother said: "I am concerned that my daughter may have trouble eating and swallowing and I hope the doctors can remove this cyst."

Naw Hser is a 21-year-old woman, currently living in a refugee camp in Thailand with her husband, son, parents-in-law, and two brothers-in-law. She is originally from Karen State in Myanmar, and has been at the refugee camp since March 2020. Her plans to return to Myanmar after visiting her brother were interrupted by unexpected COVID-19 travel restrictions and the ensuing civil war, leaving her far away from her home. Presently, her husband works twice a week as a laborer, unloading food rations from trucks. Naw Hser and her parents-in-law manage the household, while one of her brothers-in-law is a student and the other works as a day laborer. Her husband's aunt, who lives in the US sends them 3,300 baht (approx. 100 USD) once a year. They also receive 1,172 baht (approx. 39 USD) on a cash card every month from The Border Consortium. Their total monthly income of 3,047 baht (approx. 102 USD) is hardly enough to cover their basic needs. They receive free basic health care in the hospital in the refugee camp. Naw Hser is currently expecting her second child. Due to a higher-risk pregnancy, her doctors have recommend that she deliver via a caesarean section. This way, doctors can ensure the safety of both mother and child. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is helping Naw Hser undergo a C-Section on August 14th. This procedure will cost $1500, and Naw Hser needs your support. Naw Hser says: "I aspire to become an assistant teacher at a nursery school in the future."

Nereida is a four-year-old preschooler from Bolivia. Nereida lives with her mother who sells pet items in a small store; her father works far from home in construction. Nereida loves to paint and to play with her older brother. The family lives in the westernmost region of Bolivia. As she was born during the pandemic and unable to see a doctor regularly, her mother only found out about her heart condition recently. Nereida has atrial septal defect and ventricular septal defect. Two holes exist in her heart, one between the two upper chambers and another between the two lower chambers. Blood leaks through these holes, leaving her weak and short of breath. On December 12th, she will undergo cardiac surgery at our medical partner's care center, Hospital del Niño Dr. Ovidio Aliaga Uría. During surgery, surgeons will sew patches over the holes so that blood can no longer leak through them. Nereida's family needs help to fund the costs of cardiac care and surgery. The $1,500 requested by our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, covers cardiac exams and diagnostics, surgical costs, follow-up care, and medications. Nereida's mother says: "I trust in the surgeons and all the medical staff. I know they will take good care of my daughter. Thank you so much."

Nahom is an eight-year-old boy from Ethiopia. He loves to play with other children, especially hide-and-seek. He is also a solo singer at his family's church. Nahom has an older brother and they enjoy playing together. Nahom and his family have been facing health issues which have affected their finances. Nahom's mother started making and selling cookies to generate income and his father works as a security guard at a government institution. Nahom was born with cryptorchidism, a condition in which, if left untreated, he has an increased risk of developing hernias, testicular cancer, and fertility problems in the future. With help from our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), Nahom will undergo corrective surgery on November 19th. AMH is requesting $1,021 to cover Nahom's procedure and care costs. Nahom's mother said, "If my child gets surgery, I hope he will heal. For the past eight years, I have felt like he is not truly born because I have carried this worry in my heart all these years. Now I can feel that he is born, and all the stressful thoughts related to his condition will leave my mind. God works through other people, and I believe this is His way of providing the necessary treatment for our child."

Ngasungui is a five-month-old baby girl and the youngest child in a family of five children. Her parents have five cows and five goats, and they make a living selling milk to their neighbors. Ngasungui was born with 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. A visiting doctor referred Ngasungai's parents to our medical partner's care center for treatment. Fortunately, Ngasunguii and her parents traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre. On December 17th, surgeons there will perform clubfoot repair surgery. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is requesting $935 to fund Ngasungui's procedure and care. After treatment, she will be able to walk easily and her self esteem will not be affected by her condition. Ngasungui’s mother shared, "I pray that my child gets this treatment and everything goes well. I want her to live and grow without disability."