“When my feet are straight, I will join a tailoring class and start a business of my own later on,” says Imakulata. Meet Imakulata, a 14-year-old girl from Tanzania. Imakulata is the second born child in a family of three. Imakulata has never been to school “due to the fact that her peers used to laugh at the way she walks,” explains our medical partner at African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). Imakulata has unilateral clubfoot. Instead of going to school, she stays at home and helps her parents with everyday chores such as cleaning the house, washing the dishes, and cooking. “Imakulata’s gait has been affected due to the fact that she has to use the lateral aspect of her right foot for walking,” AMHF tells us. “She is at high risk of developing osteoarthritis at a young age if remains untreated.” Imakulata’s father spends most of his earned income on alcohol, which makes Imakulata’s mother the sole provider for the family’s financial needs. Imakulata’s mother works at a market selling fresh fruits and vegetables, but the income she earns can barely cover the basic needs of the family, let alone Imakulata’s medical treatment costs. For $1,160 we can help Imakulata access the healthcare she needs. Let’s help Imakulata receive a life-changing surgery and get her into the classroom.

Meet Daw Ma, a 47-year-old woman from Burma. For the last 20 years, Daw Ma has been a farmer. Due to prior conflict in her village, she did not have the opportunity to go to school, and never learned to read. "She gives most of the harvest as payments to the owner of the land, and to the laborers," shares our medical partner, Burma Border Projects (BBP). About one year ago, Daw Ma began to experience heavy bleeding and lower abdominal pain. She was diagnosed with uterine fibroids. "Since then she started to have dizziness, blurred vision, headaches, and back aches. She can’t do work in the farm or house chores when she has severe symptoms,” explains BBP. $1500 will fund gynecological surgery to remove the fibroids. BBP explains: "Treatment will restore her dignity, which is something she feels she has lost since falling ill. She is looking forward to not worrying about her health which she says consumes a lot of her time." "She plans to take full care of her grandchildren in the future, so her daughter can work full time," adds BBP.

"I am looking forward to being in no pain so that I can do household chores and also to take care of my husband and daughters," San San tells us. 36-year-old San San is a mother of three from Burma. Last year she went to a doctor with cervical pain, and was told she needed treatment for an inflamed cervix. But because she could not afford the treatment, she continued to live in pain. A subsequent ultrasound revealed she has a cervical mass, which is not only causing pain, but also mental distress. San San and her daughters rely on her husband's income, which is not enough to cover the expenses of the family. They often borrow money to make ends meet. Our medical partner, Burma Border Projects (BBP) is able to treat San San's mass for $625, which we hope to fully fund for her. "Once San San has had the inflamed mass of retained products in her cervix removed she will be able to take full-time care of her daughter, who has a congenital heart condition," says BBP. "She will be able to live with good health and dignity and contribute positively towards her community." Let's help make it happen!

Meet Lea, a one-year-old girl from Haiti! “Lea is the third kid of the family and her mother is a teacher, while the father is a Macon laborer working on different sites to take care of their children," shares our medical partner, Project Medishare (PM). “Lea is one of the newborns living with both cleft lip and cleft palate; the deformations cause the baby to be unable to take to the breast or live a healthy life,” explains PM. Without proper surgery, Lea will be unable to speak or eat easily during her childhood. For $960, Lea will receive surgery for her cleft lip and palate. After the surgery, she will be able to eat, drink, and speak much more easily. Let’s help Lea live a healthy and happy childhood!

"I don't have the money to buy medications or to be evaluated by a doctor, but thanks to you all I am sure I will get better," says Maria, a 44-year-old woman from Guatemala. "Maria came to see us a few weeks ago," Wuqu' Kawoq (WK) tells us. "She had just been diagnosed at the public clinic with severe diabetes. She has extremely high blood sugars, and is suffering from blurred vision, dizziness, and fainting spells." "Maria is very worried because she has four other family members who have [had] or have died from diabetes and she's seen the bad effects of not being able to control the illness." But with $435 -- and the expertise and skill of the WK team -- we can help. "With intensive medical management, we'll be able to control Maria's diabetes symptoms," WK writes. "[We] will provide her with in-home counseling on diet and medication use. We expect that her symptoms will totally resolve and that she'll be able to get back to farming and taking care of her children. After this acute phase is over, we will enroll her in our long term diabetes program to make sure that she continues to do well." Let's make sure Maria's efforts to navigate her diabetes care are successful!

"I will go to the church to offer thanks to the Lord if He allows for my safe delivery," Moureen tells the staff of Lwala Community Alliance. At 20-years-old, Moureen is expecting her second child but is having a much more difficult pregnancy this time around. She has been bedridden due to stomach pain, trouble moving, and difficulty breathing. Moureen lives with her husband and three-year-old son in Kenya. Moureen and her husband typically farm local lands to support their son and her parents, but since Moureen has been pregnant she has not been able to work. Moureen completed training in early childhood development at college, and is searching for an opportunity at a nursery school in the area. But first, Moureen must have a safe delivery and regain her health. For $290, Moureen will deliver her baby in a birthing facility under the skilled supervision of a medical team. The care of this staff will make sure Moureen and her newborn have access to the treatment and expertise necessary to ensure a safe and healthy birth. Let's provide Moureen and her new baby will a healthy beginning!

Meet three-year-old Martin from Kenya. He is the only child to his young mother, who is also supported by her parents so she can care for her baby boy. Recently Martin had an accident and burned his left leg. "Martin’s mother had lit a kerosene lamp one day and placed it next to the bed where Martin was sleeping," our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), tells us. "She rushed to a nearby shop and when she returned she found that the lamp had fallen on the bed. Neighbors came in and assisted in putting out the blaze before rushing baby Martin to the hospital." The burn on Martin's leg is making it difficult for him to walk. But for $1125 surgeons at AMHF's hospital will be able to perform a contracture release surgery. "We expect that Martin will be able to walk well after the surgery and he will live a normal life," the AMHF team writes about expected outcomes for Martin if the procedure is performed. “I want my son to walk normally again," says Martin's mother hopefully. Let's turn her hope into a reality by funding Martin's care.

Meet Juan, a one-year-old baby boy from Guatemala. “Juan is the fifth child in the family,” our medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq, tells us. “He enjoys playing with his brothers and sisters, who are teaching him how to sing.” “Juan is very malnourished,” continues Wuqu’ Kawoq. “He is low on both weight and height curves. As a result, he is very developmentally delayed. Without intervention, he is at risk of permanent cognitive and developmental delay.” $535 will provide Juan’s family with ways to prevent further malnourishment, including activities for motor and cognitive development. “We want for Juan to have a better future,” his parents share, “to grow well, and to be healthy both physically and mentally so that he can study and grow up to be someone important.”

Meet Dacheka, a one-year-old baby girl from Haiti. Dacheka lives with her 17-year-old mother and her grandmother. Dacheka has hydrocephalus, a condition where the brain swells with excess fluids. Hydrocephalus can be fatal if not immediately treated. “I wish to be able to take care of my baby well and then return to school when she’s fine,” Dacheka’s mother shares. “I want to thank you for what you are doing for us.” For $1,260, Dacheka can get a shunt placement, which Project Medishare explains will “drain the liquids out of her head and fix the fluids circulation problem. This will give her access to have a healthier life and a good chance to grow up.”

Meet Grace. She's seven-years-old and in the first grade. When Grace was three, she lost her mother when she passed away while giving birth to a second child. Today, Grace is cared for her by her loving father and grandmother. Recently Grace decided to make some tea and burned herself while trying to heat water in a fire. "After starting the fire, she turned around to pick up a pan. That was when her dress caught fire and Grace got severe burns on her legs," doctors at our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF) tell us. "Grace cannot sit because it is so painful to bend her knees, the AMHF team continues. She also cannot walk properly; she drags her feet." Grace's father is doing the best he can to provide care for his daughter but is unable to cover the cost of care that she needs. Clinicians have recommended a skin graft for Grace at this time to prevent any skin contractures and other long-term impacts. The cost of this procedure runs at $780. “I hope to go back to school and later on become a teacher like my father,” says Grace. Let's give her a chance at doing just that by raising money for her care.

Meet Nickson, a happy and active 12-year-old student living with his family in Tanzania. Although he loves playing with his classmates and studying science and Swahili, Nickson had to stop going to school due to severe abdominal pain. Nickson was recently diagnosed with gastric distention, a condition that causes internal swelling and incontinence. Without treatment, Nickson will not be able to carry on with most of his daily activities and will be at risk for fatal health complications. Regardless of being the youngest of eight children, Nickson has a big personality and a large appetite for learning. He is particularly disappointed that he cannot go to school. Nickson’s parents own a small kiosk where they sell non-perishable goods and although they have been able to support their children and send them to school through their small business, they cannot afford the cost of Nickson's treatment. “I wish to become a professional soccer player when I grow up,” says Nickson; however first, he must regain his health. For $975, Nickson will receive a specialized surgery to repair his intestines. This operation will relieve Nickson of his debilitating cramps and allow him to pass stool normally so that he can return to school pain-free and with the energy he needs for the classroom and the soccer field!

Meet 10-year-old Pelensky from Haiti. When Pelensky isn't out playing soccer and basketball with his friends, he’s designing with Legos and drawing detailed floor plans as he pursues his dreams of becoming an architect. Several years ago, on a rainy day, Pelensky was hit by a truck. The truck passed over his abdomen, causing major injuries which affected his ability to urinate. Pelensky has undergone several surgeries to repair the damage to his lower abdomen. Currently Pelensky has a urostomy bag and is excited receive his third and final surgery to finish the repair and reconstruction of his bladder and urinary tract. “Ever since the accident, we have had to spend all of our time and money on Pelensky’s healthcare. We haven’t been able to take care of the rest of our family. We are excited that we will not have to keep worrying about this,” says Pelensky’s father. For $1,500 we can support doctors as they perform a surgical reconstruction of Pelensky’s bladder and urinary tract. This will allow Pelensky to live a normal life with full urinary function and no limitations on or off the court.