Arham is a sweet 7-month-old baby from Tanzania. He has a twin sister. His father works as a mechanic, and his mother stays home to care for the children and household. They shared that their income supports their basic needs and request assistance with Arham’s surgery. Arham has clubfoot of his left foot. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape, which causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Arham’s family visited our medical partner’s care center. On November 15th, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery that will allow Arham to walk easily and wear shoes as he gets older. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $935 to fund Arham’s surgery. Arham’s mother says, “Life has been hard for us these few past months, and I can’t stop thinking about how to solve my baby’s condition. I hope my son grows to have a normal life like his twin.”

Elia is a playful 17-month-old baby from Tanzania who loves to smile. He is the youngest in his family of four children. Elia's father is a small-scale farmer and primarily grows food for the family's sustenance, while his mother cares for children. They shared that their income is limited to cover their basic needs. Elia's mother noticed that his leg was twisted downward and inward, affecting his ability to begin walking. She took him to a local clinic, but there were no improvements in his physical condition. When Elia's mother learned about our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), she brought him to AMH's care center. As soon as he arrived, Eila's charming personality emerged, and he made friends with the other children and played many games. Upon examination, the doctors at AMH diagnosed the condition as clubfoot of the right foot. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape, which causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. On November 18th, Elia will undergo clubfoot repair surgery at AMH's care center. After treatment, he will be able to walk easily and start wearing shoes. AMH is requesting $935 to fund Elia's procedure. Elia’s mother says: "I appeal for your financial support, and I will be glad to see my son start walking normally."

Kaptuya is a widow and a happy mother of three sons and a daughter from the semi-arid area of Baringo County in Kenya. Her husband passed away some years back after a short illness. Kaptuya and her children live in a semi-permanent three room house on her late husband's piece of land in an area well known for insecurity and cattle rustling. During the rainy season, they plant maize and millet that sometimes yields enough for both her school-aged children, and for her to sell. Currently, the area is faced with drought and famine, so they depend on relief food from the government and from well-wishers due to the lack of rain experienced this year. Six months ago, Kaptuya applied for a job as a housekeeper at a nearby health center. She was happy knowing that she would earn some money, and that the facility would pay for her medical coverage, but unfortunately that did not happen. The salary was also inconsistent and, thus, unreliable. In 2013, when Kaptuya was expecting her last born, she developed a growth at her neck which gradually increased in size. Kaptuya began to experience troubling symptoms, including neck swelling, which is most visible on the right side. She currently experiences shortness of breath, especially at night, and she sleeps with difficulty. She also has a fast heart rate, and easily gets tired, which affects her daily duties. She was diagnosed with non-toxic goiter, or an irregular growth of the thyroid. She needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Kaptuya receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on November 22nd. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $936, and she and her family need help raising money. Kaptuya says, “I am the only hope for my dear children. I live because of them, and my well-being keeps them going. I would like to get well so that I may continue working in order to support them to pursue their dreams. Please assist me.”

Isaiah is a young boy from Kenya. He is the eighth born in a family of ten children. Some of his siblings have finished school while others are still studying. Isaiah's father passed on earlier this year and their family relies on his mother and the older siblings to get by. His mother works on people's farms for a living while the older siblings are mostly casual laborers and do not earn much from their jobs. Isaiah was diagnosed with cryptorchidism, a condition in which one or both of the testicles remains undescended. If left untreated, Isaiah has an increased risk of developing hernias, testicular cancer, and fertility problems in the future. Their family does not have medical insurance coverage and cannot raise the required amount needed for Isaiah’s surgery. Fortunately, Isaiah will be receiving assistance from our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). Fortunately, he is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on November 22nd. AMHF is requesting $646 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. Isaiah’s mother says, “When I first heard about this condition and what would happen if not treated, I was very worried for my son.”

Stephen is a young man from Kenya. He is the firstborn in a family of 3 children. Their family has relied on their mother to provide for them as his father passed away when he was young boy. His mother does deliveries for different shop owners around their town. Stephen had to drop out from college do to inability to pay his school fees, and he now helps around the house and helps his mother with the deliveries, which is the how the family makes ends meet. Stephen has been diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain and increases intracranial pressure. As a result of his condition, Stephen has been experiencing severe headaches since this past July. He visited a hospital where a CT scan was done that revealed that he had a cyst that was obstructing the normal flow of fluid in and out of the head. An urgent surgery was recommended to remove the cyst, but he did not undergo it due to not having the funds for the procedure. A shunt insertion surgery has been recommended along with a craniotomy that will be performed later to remove the cyst. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $720 to cover the cost of surgery for Stephen that will treat his hydrocephalus. The procedure is scheduled to take place on November 23rd and will drain the excess fluid from Stephen's brain. This will reduce intracranial pressure and greatly improve his quality of life. With proper treatment, Stephen will hopefully continue to develop into a strong, healthy man. Stephen says, “I really want to be treated so that I can help my mom provide for us.”

Michelle is a young child with a sweet smile. She is the firstborn of a two-child family. Her parents are modest farmers who grow potatoes and vegetables primarily for their own family's consumption. Additionally, they run a small kiosk out of their home, but its limited earnings are insufficient to cover their basic needs. Michelle is presently enrolled in nursery school at a nearby public school. Michelle had a normal cold when she visited our medical facility. She was gasping loudly while inhaling and coughing frequently. Since last year, Michelle has been ill. Her mother noticed that whenever she had a cold, she would frequently complain of a sore throat and cough a lot. She also have a hard time sleeping, has trouble breathing, and has difficulty feeding because she always breathes through her mouth. Michelle has to wear extra warm clothing to stay warm during the colder months because her nose always gets congested, which is hard for her. She has been an inactive child as she is always tired. Her sleep patterns are constantly off, and she easily nods asleep during the school day, which has a negative impact on how well she does academically. Due to recurring tonsil infections that are resistant to therapy, Michelle has been in and out of the hospital several times. During her last visit, the doctor examined her and realized that her tonsils and adenoids had hypertrophied. She has been diagnosed with grade three tonsils, and since she was not responding to any medication, the doctor advised them to have surgery, which would provide a lasting, long-term solution to her problem. Michelle's parents have medical insurance, but in the last three months, they did not manage to pay their monthly subscriptions as they were low on income. Their coverage is in arrears, and unfortunately, it will not cover her procedure. She requires $714 for her surgery to be done, and her parents are appealing to all well-wishers reading her story to assist her in getting her surgery. Michelle's mother says, “My daughter has really suffered over a long period of time. She has taken numerous drugs without any noticeable change in her, and this has me very concerned. I want her to be able to have a regular life and do well in school. Please assist her so that she can eventually realize her goals."

Niwarinda is a 27-year-old mother to a preschooler. She completed college and was trained to be a grade 3 nursery school teacher, but her profession was removed from the Ugandan professions list. She tried to open her own small business, but, unfortunately, her husband--a boda boda driver (a motorcycle taxi driver for hire)--was in an accident and they lost everything. Thankfully, her husband recovered well and he is now back at work. Six months ago, Niwarinda began to experience troubling symptoms, including night sweats, hoarseness, shortness of breath, and difficulty breathing. She was diagnosed with a goiter, an abnormal enlargement of the thyroid gland. She needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Niwarinda receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on November 29th at our medical partner's care center. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. Now, she needs help to fund this $252 procedure. Niwandida says, “I think I will get better when I receive your support to undergo surgery because I have really passed through a lot of pain for all these years.”

Tukwasibwe is a 45-year-old woman from Uganda and a mother to eight children. Four of her children are still in school, and the others are working. Tukwasibwe and her husband practice small-scale farming and sell their surplus produce to provide income for their family. Thirty-four years ago, Tukwasibwe began to experience troubling symptoms, including difficulty swallowing and breathing and an inability to speak for long periods. She visited the health center at our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH). The doctors diagnosed the condition as a goiter, which is an abnormal enlargement of the thyroid gland. Tukwasibwe needs to undergo surgery to prevent her symptoms from worsening. AMH is helping Tukwasibwe receive treatment. On November 29th, she will undergo a thyroidectomy, during which the surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. AMH is requesting $252 to fund Tukwasibwe's surgery. Tukwasibwe shared: “I will be grateful when my condition is relieved. I have been long-suffering with this. I beg for God's mercy over this condition and support over my surgery.”

Maureen is a hard working stay-at-home mother. She is a beautiful and ever-smiling mother of eight from Kiambaa in Kiambu. She is currently unemployed due to medical issues after having a C-section to deliver her last born in 2020. In November Maureen tripped and fell in her house while going about her daily chores. She felt excruciating pain in her left hand and was taken to a hospital in Ruaka. An x-ray confirmed a fracture on her left arm and she was recommended surgery in order to heal her condition. She is in a lot of pain and cannot use her left hand. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, can help. On December 1st, Maureen will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. She will heal well and be able to use her hand again. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,049 to fund her procedure. “I am glad there is the hope of treatment. The thought of being unable to use my left hand to go about my daily chores scares me,” Maureen remarked with a glimmer of hope in her eyes.

Alex is a four-year-old boy who lives with his parents and three siblings in Tanzania. His parents are small scale farmers. Alex was brought to Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre in October after having been involved in an accident in 2020, that resulted in burns and deformed toes on both of his feet. His condition makes it painful for Alex to wear shoes or to walk, and the surgeons at our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, have advised Alex's parents that the optimal treatment would be the amputation of his toes. As small scale farmers, Alex's parents have struggled during the recent droughts in Tanzania. Therefore, they are looking to you to help fund the $1,088 for the surgery that Alex needs to resume a full and happy life, which is scheduled to take place on December 1st, at Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre. Alex’s father says: “Alex is having a hard time walking barefooted. I hope one day he is able to wear shoes and to walk without enduring pain.”

Prima is a 56 year old widowed mother of one child, living in Uganda. After losing her husband more than 20 years ago, Prima and her child moved to a three-roomed mud house that Prima built, and began a new life. Today, Prima works as a small scale farmer, and also crafts things by hand to sell for additional money. For the past five years, Prima has been experiencing lower abdominal pains associated with persistent and prolonged bleeding and pain. She reported to Rushoroza Hospital a few days ago, and was diagnosed with severe anemia. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is seeking $319 to fund the hysterectomy that Prima needs to finally heal her condition. The surgery is scheduled to take place on December 2nd at Rushoroza Hospital. Once she has recovered, Prima will be able to resume a full and productive life, free from pain. Prima says: “I was not doing well; I thank God that I rushed to Rushoroza Hospital for treatment. I pray that my surgery goes well so that I may be able to resume farming and take good care of myself and family.”

Zackaria is a 9-month-old baby from Tanzania. His young parents work hard to take care of their only child's needs. They used to depend on farming to make ends meet, but recently the rainy season has been unreliable due to the climate. Zackaria's father, working together with the mother, then started a small business selling food products. They are now trying to run their new business while raising their baby. Zackaria has clubfoot of both his feet. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes as he grows older. Fortunately, Zackaria traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on December 6th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $935 to fund Zackaria's clubfoot repair. After treatment, he will be able to grow up active and healthy. Zackaria’s father says, “it is my wish to see my son with normal feet.”