Gerald, a 36-year-old small-scale farmer from Uganda, is married with three children. Gerald and his wife make their living through farming. For the past three months, Gerald has been suffering from a right abdominal hernia. This hernia causes him pain when farming and swelling when he does heavy work. He is no longer able to work for long periods at a time, a direct impact on his livelihood, which has prompted him to seek medical attention. Gerald sought medical attention at Rushoroza Hospital from our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH). Gerald's doctors recommended a hernia repair surgery. Fortunately, on February 15th, he will undergo hernia repair surgery at Rushoroza Hospital. AMH is requesting $170 to fund Gerald's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will allow him to live more comfortably and confidently. Gerald says, “I am in pain, and I need help. I hope that my productivity through farming will increase after surgery.”

Mary is a teacher from Uganda. She is a tall, soft-spoken, and humble lady. She loves sharing stories and is an English teacher. Her father passed away in 1999, but her mother managed to educate Mary and her siblings after many struggles. Mary has one brother who is also a teacher, and all of her sisters are teachers too. However, she is not paid much as a teacher, and sometimes is not paid for up to two months. Her husband is a farmer, and they live in a single-room rental house near a local trading centre. During her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family. She is currently expecting her third child. Her doctors recommend that she deliver via a caesarean section because her pregnancy is high risk. This way, doctors can ensure the safety of both mother and child. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Mary undergo a C-Section on April 12th. This procedure will cost $252, and Mary needs your support. Mary says, “I hope you will give me support to deliver a healthy baby.”

Chaw is a 14-month-old girl from Burma. She lives with her parents, brother, and three sisters. Everyone in her family, except her youngest sister who goes to school, works on the farm, growing rice, betel nut and lime. They also have a small rubber plantation. Sometimes, Chaw's father and brother also work as day laborers. Two days after she was born, Chaw's mother noticed a lump at the base of her spine. The lump gradually increased in size, and when she was brought to a hospital in Thailand, the doctor suspected that the lump was caused by spina bifida. Doctors want Chaw to undergo a MRI, an imaging procedure that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce images of bodily organs. This scan will hopefully help doctors diagnose her condition and formulate an appropriate treatment plan. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $814 to cover the cost of Chaw's MRI and care, which is scheduled for February 7th. Chaw's mother said, "After I noticed that her lump was increasing in size, I felt very worried that her condition is caused by cancer. I am really thankful to all of the donors and BCMF staff. May this organization continue to help more patients in the future."

Ester is a two-year-old girl from Burma. She lives with her parents and sister in a village in Karen State. Her father is a pastor, while her mother is a homemaker who looks after Ester and her sister. Ester's parents depend on donations from church members to cover the cost of their basic needs. Since Ester was born, she has been unable to move her eyes. She does blink whenever someone waves their hands close to her eyes; however, her mother does not know whether or not Ester can see. Doctors want Ester to undergo a CT scan, a procedure in which X-ray images taken from several angles are combined to produce cross-sectional images of the body. This scan will hopefully help doctors diagnose Ester's condition, enabling them to formulate an appropriate treatment plan. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $414 to cover the cost of Ester's CT scan and care. Her scan is scheduled for April 24th, at Mae Sot General Hospital. "We, [her parents], have dedicated our lives to serving God. I want her to be able to walk and see. When Ester grows up, I want her to go to Bible school and become a missionary, spreading God's message, and sharing her life’s story," said Ester's mother.

Akram is a cute, curious 3-year-old from Tanzania. His mother is the family’s sole provider and works as a vendor at a local market, selling vegetables and fruits. Currently, Akram and his mother live in town to help save on living costs as he receives medical treatment, while his three siblings live with their grandmother in the village. Akram was diagnosed with bilateral genus varus, a condition in which his legs bow outwards so that his knees do not touch. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, which often stems from contaminated drinking water. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is helping Akram receive treatment. On January 6th, he will undergo surgery that will restore his mobility, allow him to participate in various activities, and significantly decrease his risk of future complications. AMH is requesting $880 to fund this procedure. Akram’s mother shared: “As a single mother struggling to provide for my children, Akram’s condition has been weighing on me.”

Benedister is a 45-year-old single mother and small-scale farmer from Kenya. She plants maize and millet for her family's consumption and for sale. Benedister has seven children between 11 and 23 years old. When she is done with her farm work, Benedister always looks for casual jobs in order to earn extra wages. She is very hardworking, as she is her family’s sole breadwinner. One day, while walking around her compound, Benedister fell and injured her right lower limb. She was unable to walk, so she was carried by some of her relatives to the hospital. Her pain was so intense that she was given some pain medication, then sent for an x-ray. The x-ray revealed that she had a bimalleolar fracture with a joint dislocation, which means that in addition to a bone being broken, the ligaments on the inside of her ankle were injured as well. She was treated, and then her ankle was immobilized with a bulky jones splint. She is not able to walk on her own and is in a lot of pain. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On February 7th, Benedister will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. Afterward, she will be able to walk easily again. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,145 to fund this procedure. Benedister says, “It’s really sad that I cannot walk without support. My children look up to me for all their needs and here I am now with a broken leg and cannot offer any help to them. Please help me get my bones fixed so that I will be able to work and live normally as before.”

Soeun is a 67-year-old rice farmer from the Prey Veng province. She is married with two sons, two daughters, and nine grandchildren. Currently, she lives with her husband and three of her grandchildren. These days she has very little free time, but when she does have some time to herself, she likes to go to her local village pagoda to pray. About one year ago, Soeun developed a cataract in her right eye, causing her blurry vision and sensitivity to light. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, thus is unable to travel on her own. When Soeun learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for three and a half hours seeking treatment. On February 8th, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery and implant an intraocular lens in her right eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Soeun needs help to fund this $253 procedure. She said, "I hope my vision improves, and I can do housework, take care of my grandchildren, and get around easily by myself."

Trizah is an 18-month-old baby girl who is especially playful around her mother. Trizah lives with her parents and three siblings in Kenya, where her mother works as a casual laborer washing clothes, and her father is employed at a welding workshop. Because of the hydrocephalus she was diagnosed with early on, Trizah has already undergone more than three surgeries in her young life. She had a shunt insertion procedure done a few days after her birth, which needed to be revised in May 2022. Her hydrocephalus has worsened, requiring the placement of two external ventricular drains in 2023. Sadly, the revised shunt has failed, and Trizah is now in need of another surgery to have a new shunt inserted to drain the excess fluids in her brain and alleviate the intracranial pressure caused by the fluids. Trizah also needs surgery to stop the convulsions she has been experiencing, and prevent the severe physical and developmental delays that result from untreated hydrocephalus. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $720 to cover the cost of the surgery to treat her hydrocephalus. The procedure is scheduled to take place on February 22nd at BethanyKids Kijabe Hospital. The excess fluid will be drained from Trizah's brain, reducing the intracranial pressure, and greatly improving her quality of life. With proper treatment, Trizah should develop into a strong and healthy young girl. Trizah’s mother says: “She has been having surgeries since birth. Her head is increasing in size, and she is experiencing scary convulsions. I just hope this treatment will help her to recover.”

Winjoy is a happy three year old girl, who lives with her grandmother. Because Winjoy's mother is a student, Winjoy's grandmother supports the family by selling vegetables that she grows. Winjoy arrived at the hospital with her left arm swollen around her elbow. Doctors determined that she had sustained a fracture, and a splint was applied to immobilize the joint. Winjoy's grandmother was advised that Winjoy needed to be admitted to the hospital for further evaluation and surgery, but her grandmother explained that she didn't have the necessary money for Winjoy's hospitalization. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, has stepped in to enable Winjoy to access the care that she needs. On January 23rd, Winjoy will undergo surgery at AIC Kapsowar Hospital, to repair her fractured arm. Now Winjoy and her grandmother are appealing to you to help raise the $679 needed for the surgery, which will ensure that Winjoy's fracture heals properly. Winjoys’ grandmother says: “This issue is very complex to me. I am the only provider to my children and grandchildren, and it has been so hard to even pay their school fees. I have been struggling for real and when I see my granddaughter's condition, my heart is broken more. I am not able to offer anything at the moment. Kindly help me so that she can grow normally.”

Ly Seang is a six-year-old first grader from Cambodia, where she lives in a rural village with her parents and her newborn baby brother. Her dream is to become a nurse when she grows up. Ly Seang was born with a mass on her right ear. The mass has begun to cause her embarrassment and makes her uncomfortable when meeting new people. Ly Seang traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On May 2nd, surgeons at Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre will remove the mass. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is seeking your help to raise $273 to fund this procedure. After this procedure, Ly Seang should live more comfortably and happily. Ly Seang's father said: "I just want my daughter to feel happy and not worry anymore."

Paul is a 44-year-old herdsman and small-scale farmer living in Kenya. His wife sells vegetables at a local market, and together, she and Paul have four children. In February 2023, Paul was walking home one evening when he was hit by a speeding motorbike. He was rushed to a nearby health center where first aid was administered and an X-ray was performed. The X-ray revealed that his left leg had been fractured. As a result, he is finding it challenging to walk and sit upright. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, can help. On February 8th, Paul will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation, at AIC Kijabe Hospital. The procedure will help him regain his mobility, and allow him to return to work, which is critical to his ability to support his family. African Mission Healthcare Foundation is requesting $1,500 to fund this procedure. Paul says: “I cannot walk because of the fracture. I need treatment to be able to use my legs.”

Peter is a young boy from Kenya. He is the only child in his family and a 1st-grade student in primary school. His mother says that he likes to draw and play with his peers while at home and at school. The family comes from Gathaiti village, Gatundu in Kiambu County. Peter's mother is a housewife, and his father is a boda boda (motorcycle for hire) driver who works in the village. Peter has 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, Peter traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, AIC Cure International Hospital. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on February 27th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,286 to fund Peter's clubfoot repair. After treatment, he will be able to walk easily and wear shoes. Peter's mother said, “I seek support to help my son undergo surgery and walk like other children and improve his self-esteem while in school and at home.”