Suliman is an 11-month baby who needs surgery in Ethiopia. His family came from the Gambia in August 2019 in need of medical care. His mom gave birth to Suliman when she was 20 years old. She dropped out of school when she was in Grade 8 because her mom couldn’t afford to send her to school anymore. Suliman has multiple birth defects including cleft lip, club foot, tongue-tie, fused finger, and bilateral undescended testicles. His mom tried to get her baby treated in the Gambia but the hospitals referred them to another country that can better provide the surgery. Since the family could not afford to get the child the surgery they communicated to different organizations and were able to come to Ethiopia. Suliman has now finished all his surgeries except undescended testicles and fused fingers. Suliman was diagnosed with cryptorchidism, a condition in which one or both of the testicles remains undescended. If left untreated, Suliman has an increased risk of developing hernias, testicular cancer, and fertility problems in the future. Suliman will be receiving assistance from our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). Fortunately, he is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on May 5th. AMHF is requesting $1,021 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. "I see good hope for him once he finishes his last operation. Because he will be free of all the potential deformities and disabilities and he can live like a normal person. He can live as healthy as others free from the risk of other future complications. And I believe he will go to school and help himself well," Suliman's mom says.

Lilian is a 7-year-old child from Kenya and is the 2nd born in a family of 3 children. She is a grade 1 pupil at Consolata Primary School and likes reading and playing with her friends both at school and home. Her family hails from Kevote Village in Embu County. Lilian's father is a farmer while her mother is a housewife. Lilian has clubfoot of both feet. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, Lilian traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, AIC Cure International Hospital. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on April 30th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,224 to fund Lilian's clubfoot repair. After treatment, she will be able to walk easily. “I am pleading for support for my daughter to undergo surgery and continue with her life like other children,” Lilian’s father shared with us.

Mya Mya is a 40-year-old-woman who lives and work with her elder sister for a herbal medicine production workshop in Sanchaung Township, Yangon Division in Burma. They are originally from Bago Division and moved a few years ago. Since Mya Mya was 18 years old she has felt bronchial asthma and suffered from difficulty breathing. Sometimes she feels severely tired. She went to a health worker at her village and the health worker told her to go and see heart specialist in Yangon. However, at that time she did not have money to go to Yangon, so she did not go. She has only used herbal medicine for treating difficulty breathing since she was 18-year-old, which did help her feel better. For the last four months at night she has severe difficulty breathing, so she woke her sister up and asked her sister to send her to a private clinic called Yaung Chi Oo in Yangon. After the doctor's examination, she was told her that she needs to go and see heart specialist doctor. Then the doctor gave her an injection and some oral medication. Then, she went to Thiri Sandar Private Hospital on January 31, 2020 where she received an echocardiogram. The doctor told her that she has heart disease and she needs surgery. On February 5, Mya Mya went to Kan Thar Yar Hospital (KTYH) as suggested by the doctor at Thiri Sandar Hospital. The doctor at KTYH performed another echo before diagnosing her with large ventricular septal defect (VSD). The doctor at KTYH also told her that she needs surgery. Unfortunately, Mya Mya and her family cannot afford to pay for the surgery. After talking to the nurses and doctor about her problem, the nurses who know Watsi Partner Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF) refered her to BCMF. Mya May needs to stop working because of her tiredness. She is worried about her parents because if she cannot work. She shared, "If I recover from my disease, I need to work for my parents, to support them.”

Joseph is a boy from Kenya. He is the firstborn of four children and lives with his parents and younger siblings in a two-room house in Central Kenya. Joseph is yet to join high school because of the condition as he fears the stigma. His mother works in their local market selling porridge and chapatis’ while his father does any casual task ranging from construction work to farming to sustain the family needs. Joseph was born with hypospadias, a congenital abnormality that causes urinary dysfunction. Without treatment, he will continue to experience uncomfortable symptoms and will be at risk of infertility. Fortunately, Joseph is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on January 2nd. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $700 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. “I want to join my peers and not feel left out,” says Joseph.

Chris is a young boy from Kenya who fractured his right hand a few weeks ago while playing with friends. The playful boy was rushed to the nearest clinic and had plaster applied. A week later, he had no improvement. His mother was advised to visit Kijabe hospital. Upon X-ray imaging, Chris was diagnosed with supracondylar fracture and had ORIF recommended. Chris is not able to move his hand and without urgent surgery, he risks having complications on the fracture and is in constant pain. Chris is the only child in his family. He comes from a humble background. His mother takes up a sales job on a casual basis while his father is a construction site worker. Their income is too little to meet the cost of surgery. The family appeals for financial assistance. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. Chris will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. The surgery will reduce chances of further complications on the hand. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,451 to fund this procedure. “I never thought this would happen. Please help my son get treated,” says his mother.

Due is a 26-year-old man from Burma. He lives with his family in Hlaingbwe Township, Karen State. Due is a farmer while his wife looks after their four-month-old son. In 2018, Due noticed a lump by the size of the tip of a thumb on his right breast. He did not seek treatment until the lump slowly increased in size. He then went to a hospital in Hpa-An in early January 2019. At the hospital, he received an x-ray and was told that he would need surgery to remove the mass. Because he had no money to pay for the surgery, he just went home. With the help of a medic near his area, he was connected with BCMF who sent him to Mae Sot Hospital for a CT scan. The result confirmed the mass and the need to remove it. Currently, there is redness and swelling at his breast mass. It is also itchy and painful sometimes. Due sought treatment through our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund. he is now scheduled to undergo mass removal surgery on September 23. He is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. Due said, “I look ugly with my breast mass. It is itchy and painful sometimes. The symptoms of my breast mass put me in stress. I want it to go away from me as soon as possible”.

Joseph hails from Juhudi in Lamu county. He is married and had two children who passed away 2 years ago due to heart disease. His wife left home on losing the two children and due to the hardship they were experiencing in the family. Joseph is a farmer and a house attendant in one of the farms in Lamu. He lives in a one-roomed mud-house. Joseph has a condition called Blount disease causing bow legged. This condition has affected his normal life like walking; he complains of pain. He cannot walk for a long distance or work for many hours. Joseph is scheduled to undergo high tibial osteotomy, a surgery that will help him walk without difficulty as well as alleviate pain on her. . He cannot afford the estimated bill and thus requests support.

Jackson is a baby from Tanzania. He has a twin sister called Janet. Jackson’s parents were very happy to be blessed with twin babies. Jackson comes from a family of five children and both his parents depend on small scale farming. They have a small shop which helps them supplement their income to be able to support their family. Jackson has clubfoot of both feet. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, Jackson traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on August 23. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $890 to fund Jackson's clubfoot repair. After treatment, he will be able to walk easily when he grows up. Jackson’s mother says, “We don’t want our son to feel any different from his siblings that’s why we want to treat his condition. We are unable to afford the treatment cost please help us.”