Zay Yar is a 12-year-old girl from Burma. She lives with her parents, grandmother, an older brother, and a younger sister in Karen State, Burma. Her parents are farmers, while she and her siblings are students. The family also grows some corn for selling. When she was around three or four months old, her mother noticed that Zay Yar had a small mass on her left upper eye. She was brought to the hospital but the doctor said there was no need to worry and that it didn't have to be treated. Recently, however, the mass started to grow bigger. Doctors want Zay Yar 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 her condition and formulate an appropriate treatment plan. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $414 to cover the cost of Zay Yar's CT scan and care, scheduled for April 3rd. Zay Yar's mother said, "Zay Yar's left eye has some blurred vision due to the mass slowly increasing in size and covering her eye. I worry about her condition as it is gradually getting worse."

Ester is a 13-year-old student from Burma. She lives with her parents, her younger brother, and two younger sisters in a village in Karen State, Burma. Ester and her three younger siblings go to school while their parents are small-scale farmers. They also raise chickens and pigs, and they forage for vegetables in the forest for their own consumption. They also have a small garden where they grow betel nut trees, and they sell some of the betel nuts to earn a small income. Sometimes, Ester’s father also finds work as an agricultural day laborer. In her free time, Ester loves to help her mother with household chores and also play with her friends at school. She wants to become a teacher when she grows up. Ester was born with an atrial septal defect (ASD), a condition in which a hole exists between the two upper chambers of the heart. Sometimes ASDs may close on their own during development, but sometimes this condition requires surgery to repair the hole and prevent long-term damage to the heart and lungs. Ester is scheduled to undergo heart surgery on July 7th to correct her condition and improve her quality of life. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to help cover the cost of Ester's procedure and care. Ester's mother shared, "I would like to thank BCMF and your donors for your kindness and willingness to support my daughter. Without you, my daughter would not receive treatment as the cost is too high for us, and we cannot borrow such a large amount of money from our neighbours. On behalf of our family and our daughter, thank you to your donors and everyone willing to help my daughter.”

Tamiru is a 67-year-old farmer and father of seven from Ethiopia. After a lifetime of working the land to provide for his five sons and two daughters, he has become the resilient heart of a bustling household. Tamiru loves his work, but in recent years, medical issues have begun to get in the way. About five years ago, Tamiru noticed some swelling in his right elbow. The mass has grown over time, becoming increasingly painful and restrictive. It prevents him from grasping objects properly and severely limits the natural movement of his hand. Tamiru also feels a sharp tightness and deep discomfort every time he reaches, lifts, or swings a tool—movements that are essential for tilling the soil and harvesting his crops. For Tamiru, this struggle has been deeply frustrating. For him, his hands aren't just tools; they represent his livelihood, his independence, and the legacy he hopes to pass on to his children. Thankfully, Tamiru traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On March 14th, surgeons will perform an excisional biopsy to remove the mass. Now, Tamiru needs help to raise $750 to fund this procedure. Tamiru shared, "I'm excited to get back to my full strength so I can lead my family with the same energy I’ve had for decades. I can't wait to work my fields again without that tight pressure in my arm. I want the freedom to do the heavy work I love without holding back."