“I love my twins and I pray that Eliashibu will get well and continue with normal growth,” says the mother of Eliashibu, who, along with his twin sister, was born in Tanzania less than two months ago. Eliashibu has a congenital disorder known as hydrocephalus, a condition in which there is an accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the brain. “Eliashibu’s head circumference has started to increase due to increased intracranial pressure,” reports our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). “Eliashibu is experiencing some seizures which can affect the brain. If not treated, Eliashibu may lose his vision and become dependent.” Eliashibu and his twin sister have two older siblings. His mother, a homemaker, and his father, a small-scale farmer, have already spent a lot of money on hospital care for Eliashibu and his mother. As a result, they have no funds for the required operation, which involves the placement of cerebral shunts to drain the excess CSF from Eliashibu’s brain to other body cavities where it can be resorbed. For $690, Eliashibu can receive surgery, a five-day hospital stay, and two weeks of post-operative care. AMHF expects that Eliashibu’s head circumference will no longer increase abnormally. “He will not lose his vision and he will not become dependent.” Let's help make it happen!

Say hello to Gloria, a seven-month-old baby from Kenya. She is the youngest of five siblings and both of her parents are farmers on the quarter-acre piece of land that they own. Gloria was born with a condition called hydrocephalus, which means that she has an abnormal build-up of fluid in her brain. The buildup causes Gloria’s head to be enlarged and puts extra pressure inside of her skull. If it isn’t corrected, doctors say that the increased pressure could lead to blindness, severe headaches, brain damage, or even premature death. Because Gloria’s parents are entirely dependent on the proceeds of their farm to survive, it’s been a struggle raising funds for her surgery. Gloria’s mother says, “Both my husband and I have no means of raising the necessary funds for Gloria’s surgery, but we desire that she gets treatment as soon as possible. We pray for support.” For $980, we can fund surgery for a shunt incision to help make Gloria better. The doctors predict that with the surgery, Gloria will live a happy, normal life with no risk of blindness, brain damage, or premature death. Let’s make that a reality for Gloria!

Meet Emmanuel, a one-year-old baby boy from Kenya! He is the second-born in a family of two children and his parents work hard to provide for Emmanuel and his sibling. Both Emmanuel’s parents are small-scale farmers and depend entirely on their small farm to support their family. Emmanuel was born with hydrocephalus, which causes pressure to build up in his brain. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, explains that “without treatment, Emmanuel could suffer blindness, brain damage, and the condition could even be fatal.” His parents are unable to raise the funds for the surgery Emmanuel needs, but we can help! Emmanuel’s mother says, “I was shocked when my son’s head started growing abnormally! My prayer and hope is to have him treated as soon as possible. I would appreciate any support towards his operation.” Let’s raise $980 so Emmanuel can receive a shunt incision, a surgery that will allow him to live a normal, healthy life. We can give Emmanuel’s parents the opportunity to watch him grow up and Emmanuel the chance to have a happy childhood with his sibling!

“My dream is to become a teacher when I grow up,” says 17-year-old Sisti. When Sista isn’t at school learning more about his favorite subjects, history and geography, he’s playing cards with friends. The youngest of six children, Sista lives in Tanzania with his immediate and extended family. His parents work as small scale farmers to support the family. Unfortunately, Sisti has been missing a lot of school lately. He is living with a condition known as genu valgum, an abnormality where the knee joints point outwards, causing his knees to knock. Due to severe knee pain, Sisti is unable to walk. Having fallen behind in school, Sisti is now working to pass his exams so he can continue with his secondary education. If Sisti’s condition is left untreated, he will continue to experience pain and eventually develop osteoarthritis. For $555, doctors can perform a bilateral distal femoral osteotomy, a surgery that cuts the abnormal bone to correct its alignment. After treatment, Sisti will be able to walk normally without his knees knocking, and no longer be at risk of developing osteoarthritis. Currently, his family does not earn enough to fund the treatment. Let’s help Sisti get back to school so he can pursue his dreams of becoming a teacher!