Teltila is a lively five-month-old girl from Ethiopia and a sibling to an older brother and sister. She is sociable, loves to play with her mom, and enjoys it when her mom talks to her. Her dad is physically impaired and unable to move around easily. He sells candies and some sweets on the street for a living and her mom is a housewife raising their three kids. His income is not enough to maintain the family but fortunately, they are supported by a foundation in their town that works with people with impairments. Teltila was born with a birth condition called anorectal malformation, a congenital abnormality that leads to a complete or partial intestinal blockage causing pain and complications. She developed bowel obstruction because of her condition and an emergency colostomy, one of the series of procedures needed to eliminate the condition, was done for her at our medical partner's care center, BethanyKids Myungsung Christian Medical Centre (BKMCM). She has had multiple issues with her colostomy care and associated complications and as a result, she continues to feel significant discomfort. According to her mother, Teltila had her first surgery when she was 45-days-old and unfortunately, the second surgery was delayed due to finances. The money they saved could only cover doctor reviews and some level of surgical fees. After getting an appointment, her bag was stolen with all the money and documents at a bus stop. Teltila's mother was devastated and did not know what to do. She heard of a charitable organization that supports the poor and went there to share her story. Teltila is scheduled to undergo surgery to correct her condition on August 12th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of Teltila's procedure and care. After her recovery, she will no longer experience bowel dysfunction or be at risk of developing health complications in the future. Teltila's mother says, "I am now so thankful. I lost all I had and I just received it back through you all. I hope my daughter will be treated."

Hy is a 38-year-old fisherman from Cambodia. He has been married for 9 years and has 2 young sons. His wife worked in a factory but now stays at home to look after Hy. One year ago, Hy was in a motor vehicle accident that left him with fractures that caused paralysis of his left arm. He was brought to a government hospital for treatment, but his arm still did not recover sensation or feeling after weeks of treatment. Hy has been diagnosed with a brachial plexus injury on his left side. The brachial plexus is a nerve network that transmits signals from the spine to the shoulder, arm, and hand. Injuries to this nerve network can result in loss of function and sensation. He is unable to lift his arm, is in chronic pain, and can't work Fortunately, Hy traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On July 30th, he will undergo a brachial plexus repair surgery so that he will be able to use his arm again. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), is requesting $696 to fund this procedure. He hopes that he can use his arm as soon as possible and can return to work to support his family.

Amani is a beautiful eight-month-old baby boy and the last born child in a family of four children. Amani's parents are small scale farmers who grow maize, bean, potatoes and vegetables which they mainly use for their own food. The father also works as a night guard to be able to get money to support his family. Amani has been diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain and increases intracranial pressure. As a result of his condition, Amani has been experiencing fevers and an impact on his eyes. Without treatment, Amani will experience severe physical and developmental delays. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,300 to cover the cost of surgery for Amani that will treat his hydrocephalus. The procedure is scheduled to take place on July 14th and will drain the excess fluid from Amani's brain. This will reduce intracranial pressure and greatly improve his quality of life. With proper treatment, Amani will hopefully develop into a strong, healthy young boy. Amani’s mother says, "It’s not been easy for us ever since we had our baby due to his health issues, he needs treatment but we cannot afford the cost. Help us if you can.”

Ainomugisha is the ninth born in a family of ten children. She has five brothers, two of which are motorbike taxi drivers, two who are school cooks, and one who is a small-scale farmer. All of her four sisters are married and are also small-scale farmers. Ainomugisha is currently earning a living by weaving sweaters while her husband works at a prominent business man's farm. But her work has stopped because of the COVID-19 pandemic. She and her family share a room in her father in law’s house. Ainomugisha is currently expecting and her doctors shared that she needs to deliver via cesarean section, otherwise there may be complications like birth asphyxia, a ruptured uterus, or possibly maternal or fetal death. Fortunately our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, can help. They are requesting $252 to help fund the cost of her C-Section. Ainomugisha shared, “I expect to deliver a healthy baby and hope to resume with my work of weaving sweaters after the COVID-19 lockdown.”

Turyasingura is a farmer from Uganda and mother of four. She receives little or no financial support at all from her children. Both she and her husband are farmers, but he is unwell and often stays home. During her free time, she enjoys spending time with family. Twenty years ago, Turyasingura began to experience troubling symptoms, including a persistent headache and difficulty breathing. She was diagnosed with a non-toxic goiter. She needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Turyasingura receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on July 14th at our medical partner's care center. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $293, and Turyasingura and her family need your support. Turyasingura shared, “All I pray for is to get well through surgery and be able to work harder and support my family financially through farming.”

Chhum is a market inventory manager from Cambodia. He has one son, two daughters, and four grandchildren. Three years ago, Chhum developed a cataract in each eye, causing him burning, itchiness, irritation, and clouded lenses. He has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, and going anywhere outside. When Chhum learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for two hours seeking treatment. On January 10, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in each eye. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. Now, he needs help to fund this $398 procedure. He says, "I hope my surgery is successful so I can see clearly and easily do my work."

Emmanuel is a baby from Kenya. His grandparents and mother are subsistence farmers who own two cows. Emmanuel was born with spina bifida, a type of neural tube defect in which the spine does not properly close around the spinal cord. Without treatment, Emmanuel is at risk of lower-limb paralysis, infection of the exposed nervous tissue, development of tethered cord syndrome, and possible developmental delays. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,097 to cover the cost of Emmanuel's spina bifida closure surgery. The procedure is scheduled to take place on January 23. This procedure will hopefully spare Emmanuel from the risks associated with his condition, instead allowing him to grow and develop along a healthy trajectory. “I feel at home at BethanyKids where everyone I meet treats me well and this makes me garner hope that my son will recover,” says Emmanuel’s mother.

Saad is a child from Ethiopia. He loves to play football with his friends. He is the youngest in a family of four children. Saad was born with an anorectal malformation, a congenital abnormality that leads to a complete or partial intestinal blockage. He needs to undergo a series of procedures to eliminate bowel dysfunction. Saad is scheduled to undergo surgery to correct his condition on June 28. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of Saad's procedure and care. After his recovery, Saad will no longer experience bowel dysfunction or be at risk of developing health complications in the future. Saad’s mother says, “We are poor farmers with low income...It is our hope to get the surgery and to see our child in a healthy and good position by your support.”

Maxwell is an infant from Kenya. He was born with spina bifida, a type of neural tube defect in which the spine does not properly close around the spinal cord. Without treatment, Maxwell is at risk of lower-limb paralysis, infection of the exposed nervous tissue, development of tethered cord syndrome, and possible developmental delays. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,097 to cover the cost of Maxwell's spina bifida closure surgery. The procedure is scheduled to take place on May 28. This procedure will hopefully spare Maxwell from the risks associated with his condition, instead allowing him to grow and develop along a healthy trajectory. “I hope my son gets well,” shares Maxwell’s mother.

Sarou is a vegetable farmer from Cambodia. She has three sons. She enjoys spending time at home with her family and gardening. Since infancy, Sarou has had an ear infection. This infection caused a cholesteatoma, or an abnormal skin growth, to develop in the middle ear behind the ear drum. For this reason, Sarou experiences ear discharge, hearing loss, and pain. It is difficult for her to hear and she is uncomfortable due to the ear discharge. Sarou traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On April 27, she will undergo a mastoidectomy procedure in her right ear. During this procedure, ENT surgeons will remove the cholesteatoma. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $842 to fund this procedure. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care. She says, "I hope the infection will go away and my hearing will be improved after surgery."

Icram is a baby from Tanzania. He is the only child to his mother, who is a single parent. He loves to play with toys. When he turned six months old, Icram began experiencing frequent flu, fevers, and coughing. He often experiences trouble sleeping and breathing. He was recently diagnosed with enlarged adenoids, which are the soft tissue behind the nasal cavity. Without treatment, this condition will cause Icram's symptoms to persist and possibly even intensify. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $609 to fund an adenoidectomy for Icram, which is scheduled to take place on March 1. Surgeons will remove his adenoids, hopefully relieving Icram of his symptoms and helping him live more comfortably. "I will be very happy to see Icram gets treated and become a pilot when he grows up,” said Icram’s mother.

David is a farmer from Kenya. He is a father of six. He is a hardworking man, but he has difficulty earning enough to pay school fees for his children. A week ago, David was late leaving his farm, and he was rushing home. He stepped on a smooth stone, causing him to slip and break his right hand. David is not able to use his hand and thus cannot work on his farm. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On January 29, David will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. The treatment will allow his hand to heal correctly and eliminate the pain David is currently in. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $771 to fund this procedure. "My children are worried because no one is there to provide for their needs. I hope I will be treated soon so that I can continue doing my farming," says David.