Maria Fernanda is a 10-year-old student from Colombia. She is known for being intelligent, charismatic, and very friendly. She is a sweet, kind-hearted girl full of dreams who enjoys spending time with others and leaves a special impression on everyone she meets. Her optimistic spirit and her ability to face challenges with courage are an inspiration to her family and to those who accompany her on her journey. Three years ago, Maria Fernanda was diagnosed with an umbilical hernia, a condition in which a small portion of abdominal tissue protrudes through the navel. Umbilical hernias usually cause mild tenderness or discomfort around the navel, which becomes more noticeable when the child cries, coughs, or exerts himself. Surgery has been recommended to correct the hernia and prevent possible future complications. On October 20th, Maria Fernanda will undergo hernia repair surgery, and our medical partner, Clinica Noel, is requesting $1,005 to fund Maria Fernanda's surgery. Once completed, this procedure should allow her to live more comfortably. Maria Fernanda's mother said, "I want to express my deepest gratitude to the people who are supporting her surgery. Thank you for extending your generous hand without even knowing her personally; that gesture is, without a doubt, one of the purest expressions of human kindness. May God abundantly bless your life and that of your family. Your support not only helps us meet a medical need but also restores our hope and peace of mind, knowing that María Fernanda will be able to receive the care she needs. We will always be grateful for this act of love and solidarity."

Emmanuel is a 45-year-old hardworking father from Philippines. He previously worked as driver to support his family, but is currently unemployed, which is challenging while raising two school-going children. His wife is also unemployed, and with no steady income, the family often skip meals and mainly depend on partial repayments of debts from relatives, and occasionally borrow money from the children's uncle. Six years ago, Emmanuel began to experience troubling symptoms, including intense chest pains that radiate to his back, which prevented him from sitting or lying down. He made repeated attempts to seek treatment in public hospitals, but these were unsuccessful due to overcrowding. Emmanuel is growing increasingly worried about not being able to provide for his family, yet he remains hopeful that the surgery could alleviate his painful symptoms and reduce the financial strain on his family. Emmanuel has been diagnosed with cholelithiasis, which are hardened pieces of bile that form in the gallbladder. Doctors have advised him to undergo a cholecystectomy, which the surgical removal of the gallbladder. If left untreated, his symptoms will continue to worsen and put him at a risk of future health complications. Emmanuel is scheduled to undergo a cholecystectomy on April 11th, through our partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP). A portion of the cost of the procedure is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and WSFP is raising the remaining $1,031 to cover the cost of Emmanuel's surgery and care. Emmanuel says: "Despite our current struggles, I remain optimistic about our future. Once I receive treatment for my condition, I'll return to work so I can provide for my family again. My wife and children keep me strong."

Win Swe is a 25-year-old man from Burma. He lives with his uncle, cousin, and aunt in a refugee camp in Ratchaburi Province, Thailand. His parents live in Burma, but since 2013, Win Swe has been staying with his uncle’s family for better educational opportunities. In the refugee camp, Win Swe’s aunt works as a member of the camp committee, while his uncle works as an agricultural day labourer outside of the camp. His uncle usually can only find work for about 5-8 days each month. His cousin is a medic who serves at the clinic in the camp. Previously, Win Swe used to work as a day labourer with his uncle, but due to his health condition, he cannot work anymore. They can access free basic health care inside the camp. When Win Swe was 18 years old, he started to feel tired while walking or carrying objects heavier than 20 kilograms, so he stopped going to school as he could not walk long distances. He went to the local clinic in the refugee camp, and the doctor suspected heart disease and presented his condition to the International Rescue Committee (IRC). The IRC referred him to a hospital for testing. He was diagnosed with congenital heart disease. Yet, since he was 18, he was told that he was too old to receive support from the IRC for a congenital heart condition, so he did not seek further treatment. In July 2024, Win Swe underwent an ECHO recommended by the doctor. Afterwards, the doctor diagnosed Win Swe with a ventricular septal defect (VSD) and told him that he would need surgery to repair the hole in his heart before it got any worse. Currently, Win Swe experiences fatigue, heart palpitations, rapid breathing, and sometimes chest pain after walking for even a few minutes. His symptoms have prevented him from working, leaving him feeling stressed and ashamed of having to depend on his uncle. Fortunately, our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, can help. On April 10th, Win Swe will undergo heart surgery so he can live more comfortably and be able to work. He needs help raising $1,500 to fund the cost of his treatment and care. Win Swe says, "Thank you to your organization for helping me and finding the donors for me. There is no way for me to receive treatment without your support.”

Peter is a 10-year-old boy from Tanzania. He is the third born among seven children, raised by loving parents who survive through small-scale farming. From the day Peter was born, something was different about his feet. His parents noticed that both of his feet bent inward, making it difficult for him to balance and walk normally. As the years passed, the condition worsened. Walking long distances—something every child in his village must do daily—became painful and exhausting for him. Despite this, He is a joyful boy with a bright smile, loved by his family and admired by his friends. He enjoys going to school, playing with other children, and dreaming big, just like any other child. But his condition has started to limit him more each year. He can no longer walk comfortably to school, and running or playing with his friends is now too painful to bear. Peter’s family tried their best to seek help, but with limited financial resources and no specialized services nearby, they were left with few options. Peter has clubfoot, a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. The tissues connecting the muscle to the bones are shorter than usual, and this causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, Peter's family traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, Kafika House. Surgeons will begin clubfoot treatment on December 16th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,119 to fund Peter's clubfoot repair. After treatment, Peter has a chance to receive the life-changing treatment that will not only relieve his daily pain but also give him a chance to walk, run, and go to school without limitations. Peter says, "I wish that I wouldn't feel any pain walking to school and playing with my friends."

Lissa is a beautiful and brave 3-year-old girl from Tanzania. Her smile lights up every room she enters. She is the firstborn in a family of two children, and her parents describe her as curious, playful, and incredibly sharp for her age. Lissa already attends preschool, where she enjoys singing, drawing, and interacting with other children. Her father, a hardworking Bajaji tricycle driver, is deeply devoted to his daughter. Lissa was diagnosed with bilateral varus; her legs bend outward at the knee so that they do not touch. Several factors could cause this condition, such as growth disorders, vitamin deficiencies, or excessive fluoride found in contaminated drinking water. As a result, the knees can be angled inwards or outwards, making it difficult to walk and may cause long-term joint damage. She has difficulty walking for long distances. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $810 to fund treatment for Lissa. The procedure is scheduled to take place on December 5th at our medical partner's care center, Kafika House. Treatment will hopefully improve Lissa's mobility, allow her to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease her risk of future complications. Lissa's father dreams of seeing his daughter walk freely and confidently, without pain or difficulty, especially as she grows older and continues with school. He said, "I often imagine Lissa running around without complaint of pain and discomfort, just like other children her age."

Praxeda is a 73-year-old mother of eight children from Uganda. She has dedicated most of her life to small-scale farming with her husband, cultivating food to support their family. However, due to her current condition, she is unable to work at this time, leaving her husband to manage the farming on his own. About five years ago, Praxeda started experiecing slight abdominal pain. At first, she brushed it off, thinking it was just the strenuous work from a long day in the farm. But as months passed by, the abdominal pain got worse, accompanied by other sensitive symptoms. As the months went by, the pain worsened, making it difficult for her to perform her daily activities. Farming, which had been her way of life, became almost impossible. Praxeda sought help at a nearby medical centre, where she was given some medicine, but it did not help much. Although the bleeding stopped, the pain and discomfort did not subside. Desperate for better care, but without money for transportation, she decided to walk for one hour to our medical partner's care center, Rushoroza Hospital. Praxeda has been diagnosed with pelvic inflammatory disease. She needs to undergo a hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus. However, Praxeda is unable to afford the surgery treatment cost. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $319 to fund Praxeda's surgery. On February 17th, she will undergo gynecological surgery at Rushoroza Hospital. Once recovered, Praxeda will be able to resume her daily activities free of pain. Praxeda says, "I did not have transportation money, but I came with much hope that I might be helped. I pray that through the help of the donor program, I can receive the surgery I need."

Korb is 65 years old and a father of two from Takeo Province, Cambodia. His wife sells rice, while their two children work as bag factory workers. In his free time, he likes exercising and helping his wife with some works Around two years ago, Korb began experiencing pain in his left hip due to avascular necrosis, which can occur when blood supply to the ball of the hip joint is disrupted, leading to bone cell death and the collapse of the femoral head. This condition has caused difficulty walking and limited his ability to perform daily tasks independently. The condition developed naturally, without trauma or accident. He had previously undergone a total hip arthroplasty on his right hip in 2017 with the help of our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC). Korb decided to travel back to CSC for treatment on his left hip. On March 17th, Korb will undergo a hip replacement procedure, where surgeons will operate on his hip to relieve pain and improve mobility, allowing him to move comfortably and return to work. Korb and his family can contribute $25, but they need help raising $1,475 to fund his procedure and care. Korb said, "After the surgery, I hope that I will no longer have hip pain and be able to walk more easily, so I can move around more independently and do some works to support my family."