Im is a 71-year-old loving grandfather from Cambodia, where he lives on the outskirts of Phnom Penh province with his wife. They have three daughters, four sons, and 23 grandchildren. When he was younger, Im worked in construction, but now he and his wife are retired. They are supported by their children, some of whom are farmers, while others are construction workers. Two years ago, Im developed cataracts in both of his eyes, probably as a result of the many years of working outside, when his eyes were being regularly exposed to the UV rays from the sun. Im's vision is impaired, making it difficult for him to see clearly. Im sought help from our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre. On September 1st, doctors at Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Center will perform bilateral small incision cataract surgery, and implant intraocular lenses in both of his eyes. Now Im needs your help to fund this $443 procedure. Im said: "I hope after surgery I can see better and recognize the faces of my family. I hope to go to the pagoda with my wife to join the ceremonies."

Moe is a nine-year-old girl from Burma who lives with her mother, grandparents, and siblings in a camp for internally displaced people in Burma. She is a student in grade two at the school in the camp. During her free time, Moe enjoys babysitting her younger siblings. On December 6th, while playing in her classroom, Moe fell off a bench and fractured her left forearm. She has been experiencing pain, swelling, and limited mobility in her left forearm ever since. With the help of our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, Moe will undergo surgery to reset her fractured bones and ensure proper healing. The procedure is scheduled for December 8th and will cost $1,500. Moe and her family need your help raising the money to fund her procedure and care. This surgery will not only alleviate her pain but also restore the functionality of her arm. Moe’s grandmother said, "Thank you for helping my granddaughter. Our family is facing financial limitations, and affording her treatment has been challenging. Without your help, I wouldn’t know how to manage to get her treated."

Ester is a 32-year-old small-scale farmer from Uganda. She is married and she and her husband have two children together, who were both delivered via cesarean section in 2008 and 2015 respectively. Both children currently attend primary school. Ester attended school through the fifth grade but discontinued her education due to a lack of funding. Ester's parents are both small-scale farmers as well, and Ester is the third born of their nine children. During her free time, Ester enjoys spending time with her family. Ester is currently expecting her third child. Due to scars from her previous C-Sections, her doctors recommend that she deliver via a cesarean section again to ensure the safety of her and her baby. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Ester undergo a C-Section on July 4th. This procedure will cost $252, and Ester needs your support. Ester says, “I am on my knees for this support as I cannot afford the bills. I hope for the best delivery and resume farming after full recovery to earn a living.”

Soktheang is a six-year-old preschooler. He and his family live in Kampong Speu province, about four hours away from the capital of Phnom Penh. His father is a construction worker, and his mother works in a local clothes factory. He has one older brother who is a student. Soktheng likes to learn about Khmer history and listen to stories told by the teachers. At home, he loves to eat fried eggs and drink orange juice, and he tries very hard to keep up with his older brother. About three days ago, Soktheng's mother noticed him pulling at his ear and not sleeping well. She took him to the local health center, where they saw a small foreign object in his ear. Due to his agitation, they were unable to retrieve it. He complained of pain and hearing loss and was very unhappy. If the object stays in his ear, it could lead to infection and long-term hearing loss. Soktheang and his mother traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On November 17, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC) surgeons will do a procedure to remove the object under anesthesia. Now, Soktheang's family needs help to raise $273 to fund this procedure. His mother said: "I hope my son will not have pain anymore. I am worried Soktheang will not hear from that ear."

Elia is a two-year-old boy from a small village in the Simanjiro district of Tanzania. His parents are livestock keepers and farmers, relying on agriculture for food and sustenance. The drought has brought new problems to their residential area, with large animals such as elephants and buffaloes coming in search of food and damaging their crops. Despite the challenges in the past year, they remain hopeful that the situation will improve in the coming season. In October 2022, Elia had an accident and suffered burns from hot water, resulting in severe wounds on both his hands that required medical attention. His parents took him to a health center for care. Over the next four months, as his wounds healed, he developed skin contractures on both elbows. Recognizing the impact of the scars on Elia, his parents sought treatment at Monduli Hospital. However, they could not receive the appropriate care and were subsequently referred to our medical partner's facility. In September, Elia’s mother, accompanied by an escort from Monduli Hospital, approached with concerns about Elia’s well-being. Our medical partner facilitated a meeting with a visiting plastics surgeon. During the preparations for surgery, it was observed that Elia was not yet ready for the procedure, and it was decided that he needed to wait until he was in better health before undergoing surgery. In November, Elia had the opportunity to meet with a plastic surgeon and was deemed fit for surgery. Given the severity of his case, the plan is to start with a contracture release on one elbow as the start of Elia's healing journey. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is helping Elia receive treatment. On November 16th, surgeons at their care center will perform a burn contracture release surgery to enhance the extension of his arm. AMH is requesting $639 to fund this procedure. Elia’s mother says: “I hope this treatment will be a start for a better life for my son.”

Winnie is a 60-year-old woman from Uganda. She separated from her husband due to family violence and financial difficulties. As a single mother, she has been taking care of her four children, all of whom are attending secondary school, and makes ends meet by engaging in small-scale farming. Winnie is reaching out for support to restore her health and, by extension, her ability to provide for her children. Her treatment will not only alleviate her physical suffering but also empower her to continue nurturing her family and contribute positively to her community. Winnie visited our medical partner due to a mass that has been swelling on the right lumbar region (the area with the gallbladder, liver, and right colon) that has been troubling her for about eight months. She shared that the lump has consistently increased in size over time, thus causing her significant worry and fear that it might be cancerous. She is also unable to sleep on her right side, and the discomfort she experiences disrupts her ability to perform daily activities, especially her work on the farm, which is her source of livelihood. Without proper treatment, Winnie's quality of life will be severely impacted. When she sought medical help before, the doctors prescribed medication to reduce the swelling; however, the mass continued to grow. She was later advised to undergo surgery, but financial constraints prevented her from pursuing the treatment. Fortunately, Winnie was able to travel to our medical partner's care center. On November 7th, surgeons will remove the mass. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is requesting $137 to fund this procedure. Winnie said, “I am currently a single mother with no job, and yet my children need basic needs. This condition has affected me, yet I have no money for treatment. I request for your support thus being able to resume back to farming for a living."

"I can't wait for the day that my daughter will walk without a limp. The day she won't have to worry about her leg limiting her on what she wants to do and achieve," Asha's mother shared. Asha is a 9-year-old student from Tanzania who is determined to pursue an education and achieve her dreams. She lives with her parents and five siblings. Her parents are subsistence farmers, cultivating crops primarily for their family's consumption. They have struggled to make ends meet and occasionally rely on day-to-day jobs in other households when they are not farming. Due to their limited financial resources, they have been unable to seek medical treatment for Asha, who has experienced her left leg bowing outwards since she began walking. Asha was diagnosed with genu valgus. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, which often stems from contaminated drinking water. On May 26th, Asha will undergo surgery to restore her mobility, allow her to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease her risk of future complications. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $880 to fund Asha's surgery.

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.”

Naw Say, a 30-year-old woman, resides in a refugee camp located in Mae Hong Son Province with her husband and daughter. Originally from Burma, they sought refuge in 2010 due to conflict in their homeland. Naw Say works as a nurse in the camp while her husband is employed as a day laborer in a nearby Thai village. They receive a monthly cash card payment of 848 baht (approximately 28 USD) from The Border Consortium, which barely covers their daily expenses. The organization Malteser International (MI) Thailand provides them with essential healthcare services at the camp's hospital. In her leisure time, Naw Say enjoys sewing clothes for her family. Currently pregnant with her second child, Naw Say's doctors have advised her to undergo a scheduled cesarean section (C-Section). This recommendation is based on her previous childbirth experience where her first baby's head couldn't pass through her pelvis opening, necessitating an emergency C-Section. Our partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is helping facilitate Naw Say's C-Section procedure on August 5th, and is requesting $1500 to help fund the procedure. Naw Say is in need of your support for this important medical procedure. Naw Say said, “I want to have a boy this time because I already have a daughter. I love being a nurse and I enjoy taking care of people who are sick."

Shashi is a 15-year-old student and the second-born child in a family of five children. His parents are farmers who depend on small-scale agriculture for sustenance and to generate some income to cover their daily expenses. Shashi was diagnosed with bilateral genu valgus, a condition characterized by bilateral knocking of the knees that is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones. He first experienced this condition when he was 5 years old. Despite trying various traditional treatment methods, they were all unsuccessful. Due to the fear of being unable to afford the medical expenses, they did not initially seek help from a hospital. As a result, as Shashi grew older, his condition continued to deteriorate. What initially began as a slight bowing of his legs progressively worsened over time, causing immense concern for his parents. It became increasingly challenging for him to walk and engage in activities that required long distances of walking. He was forced to stop attending school because of its distance from home and the lack of transportation options available in his area. His condition has made it difficult for him to connect with his peers. Fortunately, our medical partner African Mission Healthcare (AMH) can help. Shashi is scheduled for corrective surgery on August 1st, and AMH is requesting $880 to fund the procedure. Treatment will hopefully restore Shashi's mobility, allow him to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease his risk of future complications. Shashi says, “It is painful living like this. My legs hurt when I walk. I can’t play and socialize with my friends. I hope the treatment I get will make my life better.”

Meet Juliet, a small-scale farmer and mother of five. Her dream was to become a banker, but her father passed away when she was in primary school, and her family was unable to continue to pay her school fees. Juliet is married and earns a living through farming, while her husband works as a builder. They live in a two-roomed home in southwestern Uganda. Three of their children are in school, and the other two children are married or working. For five years now, Juliet has had an inguinal hernia. This condition causes her pain and discomfort, especially when she lifts things, coughs, or does strenuous work like cultivating the farm. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is helping her receive treatment. On March 21st, Juliet will undergo hernia repair surgery at AMH’s care center. Once completed, this procedure will allow her to live more comfortably and confidently. AMH is requesting $230 to fund Juliet's surgery. Juliet said: “I hope to get healed when I am operated on and continue with my activities in good health.”