Cristian is a six-month-old baby boy from Bolivia. He lives with his mother, who works selling propane canisters. As a newborn, she noticed he struggled to breathe and breastfeed, and he was later diagnosed with multiple heart conditions. Cristian has three openings in and near his heart — one between the two upper chambers, one between the two lower chambers, and one between two major blood vessels. These cause blood to leak through without passing through the lungs to obtain oxygen, leaving him weak and short of breath. Fortunately, on June 30th, our medical partner, Hospital del Niño Dr. Ovidio Aliaga Uría, will help Cristian undergo cardiac surgery to close the openings in his heart. This procedure will cost $1,500, and Cristian needs your support to fund his surgery and care. Cristian's mother shares, "I hope and pray my sweet boy can have his surgery and be a healthy boy!"

Rachel is an active and social 12-year-old girl from Kenya. Despite her challenges, she remains hopeful and optimistic about her future. Rachel is currently in Grade 7, but has paused her studies due to her medical condition. Two days after Rachel was born, her mother noticed that Rachel's head was enlarging and that her eyes appeared sunken. Rachel was diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess fluid accumulates in the brain and increases intracranial pressure. Rachel underwent shunt insertion surgery to drain the excess fluid, but the shunt failed within days. Rachel and her mother then journeyed 130 kilometers to our medical partner's care center, BethanyKids Kijabe Hospital. There, Rachel underwent a successful shunt revision surgery, and her mother’s joy was beyond words. They returned home, and life improved significantly. Unfortunately, hydrocephalus shunts can become blocked over time, making revision surgeries necessary. Rachel has had two more surgeries at three and seven years of age. She now requires another shunt revision surgery, so that she can resume her daily activities like other children her age. Without surgery, Rachel will experience severe physical and developmental delays. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $719 to cover the cost of surgery for Rachel that will treat her hydrocephalus. The procedure is scheduled to take place on February 13th and will drain the excess fluid from Rachel's brain. Rachel shares, "I am in pain, I haven't been able to go to school. I want to get better so that I can continue learning. I look forward to leaving the hospital feeling better so that I can go home, play with my siblings, and attend school."

Dagem is a curious two-year-old boy from Ethiopia who loves to explore. He enjoys playing football and riding bicycles. He lives with his mother, who works as a daily laborer, selling vegetables and washing clothes for neighbors to support him. His brother lives with their grandparents. Dagem's mother first learned of his condition when Dagem was just four days old. He was born with hypospadias, a condition affecting the urinary tract that causes discomfort and dysfunction. Without treatment, he will continue to experience uncomfortable symptoms and risk further complications as he grows. Fortunately, on April 23rd, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, will assist Dagem in undergoing corrective surgery. This procedure will cost $1,293, and Dagem needs your support to fund the surgery. Dagem’s mom said, “I’m so happy, and thank you so much for the support. I pray that my child will be healthy like other children.”

Grace is a 16-year-old girl from Tanzania. She is a Form Three student currently attending a local Secondary School and is passionate about pursuing arts subjects in her education. Grace was diagnosed with severe bilateral genu varus. The condition has caused her legs to bow outwards causing her pain whenever she walks. 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. Grace’s lower limb condition developed gradually and was not adequately diagnosed during early childhood. Over time, the bowing became more pronounced, affecting her walking pattern and daily activities. If left untreated, the condition could lead to long-term pain, reduced mobility, and difficulty continuing her education. Grace and her family are seeking treatment to allow her to walk comfortably, remain in school, and pursue her academic aspirations. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $810 to fund treatment for Grace. The procedure is scheduled to take place on February 6th at our medical partner's care center, Kafika House. Treatment will hopefully restore Grace's mobility, allow her to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease her risk of future complications. Grace says, “Walking long distances is painful for me, and sometimes I fear my legs will stop me from continuing my education.”

Brian is 10 years old and a student from Kenya. He is the youngest of four children. He was born with a condition known as Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy (CP), which has greatly affected his mobility. Brian cannot walk and only crawls from one place to another. This has made daily activities difficult for him and his family. After his birth, his mother was referred to a nearby hospital for specialized care. Brian underwent several physiotherapy sessions, hoping to see improvement. Unfortunately, his condition did not get better. As a widow, Brian’s mother works tirelessly, taking on casual jobs like crushing stones into ballast and selling them, to provide for her family. Despite the hardship, she has never given up on finding help for her son. Brian attends a special school within their village that supports children with different disabilities. Brian was diagnosed with clubfoot on his right foot. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, Brian traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, AIC Cure International Hospital. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on February 20th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,286 to fund Brian's clubfoot repair. After treatment, he will be able to walk on his feet, play with other children, become more independent, and continue with his education without limitations. “When I first learned about my son’s condition, I was in great shock. I did not know what the future would look like for him,” Brian’s mother recalls softly. She added, I hope to see my son receive treatment, walk on his own, play and interact freely with other children, and continue with his education without any challenges.”

Brian is a 17-year-old boy from Kenya. His father is a primary school teacher. Brian is due to start school and is worried about missing lessons and falling behind in the syllabus. Education is very important to him, and he hopes to resume his studies as soon as possible. Three weeks ago, Brian experienced a convulsion and fell into a fire. As a result, he sustained severe burns to his leg. He was eventually brought to the hospital, where the surgical team assessed him. The surgeon managed his injuries through multiple dressing changes, surgical debridement, and, due to the severity of the burns, amputation of one toe. Brian was later placed on a wound vacuum (VAC) to support healing. At present, his condition is stable, and he is doing relatively well. However, he still requires a skin graft to achieve proper wound coverage and complete healing. On January 6th, Brian is scheduled to undergo a skin graft procedure, and our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,183 to fund his procedure and care. Brian says, "I hope that after the skin graft, my hospital stay will be reduced. I should be in form four, and I don't want to fall behind, especially with the syllabus. My goal is to take after my father, be a teacher, and aim higher to head a teachers' organization in the future. Please help me. "

Emily is 45 years old and a mother of five children from Malawi. She is a farmer, while her husband works as a bicycle repairman. Since 2018, shortly after the birth of one of her children, Emily has been experiencing abdominal pains associated with severe bleeding. The condition has progressively weakened her, made it difficult for her to carry out her daily activities, and required her to undergo a blood transfusion. Emily has been diagnosed with uterine fibroids. She needs to undergo a hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,363 to fund Emily's surgery. On November 7th, she will undergo gynecological surgery at our medical partner's care center, Partners in Hope Medical Center. Once recovered, Emily will be able to resume her daily activities free of pain. Emily shared, "My hope completely depends on you, donors, to save my life; I cannot afford to pay for my surgery."

Grace is 47 years old and a single mother to one child from Malawi. She separated from her husband six years ago and moved away. Grace works as a store clerk for a company that sells motorcycle spare parts. Nine years ago, Grace began to experience troubling symptoms, including frequent episodes of intense abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. Her health has significantly affected her daily activities, and she can no longer report to work. She now depends on her sister’s support, but her sister cannot afford the surgery costs, and Grace’s child is currently unemployed. This has led Grace to seek financial assistance. Grace first noticed pain in the upper right quadrant of her abdomen in 2016. She went to the hospital and was given only painkillers. Over time, the pain became intermittent, and she eventually got used to it and stopped seeking help. However, the episodes gradually increased in both frequency and severity, and they became associated with nausea, vomiting, and backaches. On November 12th, 2025, her condition worsened. She was taken to the hospital, where an abdominal ultrasound was performed. She was diagnosed with cholelithiasis, or stones in her gallbladder. Grace continues to experience other symptoms such as loose stools, swelling at the painful site on her right side, loss of appetite, heart palpitations, breathlessness due to intense pain, and weakness that requires assistance from others. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is able to help. On December 1st, Grace will undergo surgery to remove her gallbladder. She needs help to raise $1,244 to fund her procedure and care. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully greatly improve her quality of life. Grace shared, "I am in pain; kindly help me."

Hamza is a cheerful and active boy five-year-old boy from Ethiopia, who loves playing football with his friends and siblings. Hamza lives with his parents, one brother, and one sister in a single-room home. His mother takes on daily labor jobs to support the family, while his father’s modest income barely covers their monthly expenses. Despite their best efforts, the family continues to face financial challenges as they strive to provide for their children. When Hamza was four years old, his mother noticed that something seemed unusual. She remembered that the doctor who had circumcised him had once mentioned that one of his testicles was not in its proper place, but at that time, she did not fully understand the situation, and assumed her son was healthy. Concerned after noticing it herself, Hamza’s mother took him to the nearby facility, where the doctor referred them to a larger hospital for further evaluation. At the hospital, there was a long waiting list, which meant months passed without making progress. Hamza's mother’s repeated visits did not amount to much, leaving her frustrated. Fortunately, through a new initiative by the Ministry of Health and our medical partner's care center, BethanyKids Myungsung Christian Medical Centre (BKMCM), to reduce the pediatric surgery backlog, she received a call informing her that Hamza could receive care at BKMCM. With renewed hope, Hamza and his mother traveled to the facility, where the medical team conducted further assessments. Hamza was diagnosed with cryptorchidism, a condition in which one or both of the testicles remains undescended. If left untreated, Hamza has an increased risk of developing hernias, testicular cancer, and fertility problems in the future. Hamza is receiving assistance from our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare. He is currently scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on October 16th to treat his condition, allowing him a healthier life. Now, Hamza's family needs help to fund this $754 procedure. Hamza’s mother shared, “Thank you so much for everything, and for your humble and compassionate service. May God bless you all, fulfill your wishes, and continue to bless this wonderful organization.”