Htee is a 10-year-old girl from Burma. She lives with her family in a refugee camp in Mae Hong Son province, Thailand. Htee and her two siblings were born and raised in the camp. Her parents met and married there after relocating in 2006 due to conflicts between armed groups in their village. Htee’s mother is a homemaker, while her father works as a day laborer. She is currently enrolled in the camp school and is in Grade 5. Additionally, Htee's four cousins live with the family and also attend school. In her free time, Htee enjoys playing with her brother and friends. For two days, Htee has been experiencing troubling symptoms, including severe pain at right lower part of abdominal, high fever, vomiting and lethargy. She is currently admitted at Mae Sariang Hospital, where she was diagnosed with appendicitis. She needs urgent surgery to prevent her condition from getting worse. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is helping Htee receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo an appendectomy, a surgery to remove the appendix when it becomes infected, on April 20th, at Mae Sariang Hospital. This procedure will cost $1500, and Htee and her family need your support. Htee’s father said, “My daughter is an active child. She loves to go to school and never missed attendance. Now she is in severe pain, and I hope that she gets better after treatment.”

Sophorn is a 68-year-old Tuk-Tuk driver from Phnom Penh. He is married and has one son, four daughters, and four grandchildren. He lives with his wife, who is a housewife, and with his oldest daughter, who works as a house cleaner. In his free time, Sophorn likes to watch the news on his phone. About two years ago, Sophorn developed a cataract in his right eye. This causes him to experience itching, tearing, and blurred vision. A cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye, so it is like looking through a frosty or fogged-up window. Sophorn has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces. He is also worried about falling when walking, so he is not able to go places on his own. When Sophorn learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for one hour seeking treatment. On March 16th, doctors will perform a phacoemulsification cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in his right eye. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. Now, our medical partner is requesting $263 to fund Sophorn's procedure. Sophorn said, "I hope after surgery I can see better, so I can go back to driving Tuk Tuk. I'm also excited to recognize people."

Zubeir is a 20-month-old baby from Kenya. His father takes on occasional environmental cleaning jobs offered by the government, work that may come only once or twice a year. Seven months after Zubeir was born, his parents began to notice something that unsettled their hearts. Zubeir 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, Zubeir has been experiencing his head growing larger than normal. They rushed him to a nearby medical facility in their desperation for answers. The family was referred to our medical partner's care center, BethanyKids Kijabe Hospital, for specialized care. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $719 to cover the cost of surgery for Zubeir that will treat his hydrocephalus. The procedure is scheduled to take place on February 12th and will drain the excess fluid from Zubeir's brain. This will reduce intracranial pressure and greatly improve his quality of life. With proper treatment, Zubeir will hopefully develop into a strong, healthy young boy. “Every day I see him, I see strength and possibility. I pray the surgery will help him shine even brighter,” Zubeir’s father shared.