Meet Mekeya, a two-year-old girl from Ethiopia. "Mekeya was born without an anal opening," shares our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). "She could not pass stool normally and had to pass stool through her vagina with great difficulty." Upon her diagnosis, Mekeya received a colostomy, which has worked somewhat as a temporary solution. However, she needs an anorectoplasty to fully correct the problem and allow her to pass stool normally. The surgery will cost $1500, and Mekeya's parents cannot afford the cost. "Mekeya's parents are farmers. They have spent all their money on health care diligently seeking for a cure for their daughter," says AMHF. "However, despite all their efforts Mekeya is not yet well. They are deeply worried that Mekeya is in real danger and they are completely unable to pay for this life saving surgery." After treatment, Mekeya is expected to make a full recovery. "Mekeya will be able to pass stool normally," says AMHF. "She will have a chance of growing up healthy and normally."

Say hello to Emmanuel, a baby boy from Tanzania! He is the youngest of nine children and his parents are small-scale farmers who grow maize and beans to support their family. Emmanuel's parents tell our medical partner, the African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), that Emmanuel is a happy baby when he is not in pain. Emmanuel has open myelomeningocele with hydrocephalus. His back is leaking cerebral spinal fluid, which could lead to sepsis and dehydration if not treated. “We really don’t know how else to help our child without extra support," his mother says. "He was admitted at our local hospital three different times without success. He is our last son and we would like to see him grow up like the rest of our children." Emmanuel needs a myelomeningocele closure and ventriculoperitoneal shunt insertion to overcome his condition and start growing up healthy. "The defect on Emmanuel’s back will no longer leak cerebral spinal fluid and Emmanuel will be out of risk of getting infections and he will continue with normal growth," AMHF tells us. With $1025, we can pay for Emmanuel's care. Let's do this!