Shedrack is a 6-year-old boy from Tanzania who recently joined a kindergarten class. He enjoys going to school and playing with toy cars with his best friend. Shedrack is presently facing challenges due to an accident he had when he was just seven months old. While playing, he accidentally got too close to an open fire and crawled over it, resulting in burns to his right hand from pieces of firewood. His mother rushed him to the hospital, where he received a dressing for his wounds. It took two months for the burns to heal, but it was not until later that his mother realized his fingers were not fully functional due to the burn injury. The scar tissue that had developed made it difficult for Shedrack to use his right hand fingers, rendering him unable to hold a pencil at school. Despite this limitation, he still enjoys playtime with toys, using his left hand only. Shedrack’s mother desired to get treatment for her son, but financial constraints prevented them from seeking surgical intervention. Shedrack's family encountered a doctor affiliated with our medical partner's care center Kafika House, who directed them to seek assistance at the facility. Upon evaluation, Shedrack was diagnosed with burn scar contractures on his right hand, necessitating corrective surgery to address the defects caused by the fire accident. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Shedrack receive treatment at their care center Kafika House. On March 7th, surgeons will perform a burn contracture release surgery to improve his hand’s functionality. Now, his family needs help to fund this $874 procedure. Shedrack’s mother says: “I hope he starts his treatment and that his hand won’t be a barrier as he continues with school.”

Kyu is a 43-year-old teacher from Burma. She lives with her mother, husband, and two sons in Yangon Division, Burma. Kyu’s mother is retired, and her two sons are students. Kyu’s husband works as a motorcycle taxi driver. Kyu is a high school teacher who conducts classes from her home. Their combined monthly income is sufficient to cover their basic living expenses but they are not able to save money. When they have health issues, they rely on a nearby clinic for medical attention. In her free time, she enjoys reading books and she'd like to be able to continue teaching her students at home once she feels better. Kyu 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. Kyu is scheduled to undergo heart surgery on February 4th to correct the atrial septal defect and improve her quality of life. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to support the cost of Kyu's procedure and care. Kyu said “Since my heart condition worsened, I couldn’t teach my students due to my fatigue. Now I felt very happy when I learned that the BCMF organisation would support my surgery. Without the help of these donors, I couldn’t afford the treatment. I would like to be thankful to all donors and BCMF for supporting my surgery.”

Angela is a 62-year-old woman with two grown sons. During her childhood, her dream was to be a teacher however she has to stop school at Primary 6 due to financial constraints. She is married and she and her husband farm for a living. They live in a traditional mud house in southwestern Uganda. Two years ago, Angela began experiencing lower abdominal pain and backache. Due to limited finances, Angela had never seen a doctor but when symptoms became severe, she decided to seek medical help and was diagnosed with premalignant cervical lesion. She needs to undergo a total abdominal hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus. On February 22nd, she will undergo gynecological surgery at Karoli Lwanga Hospital. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $219 to fund this procedure. Once she has recovered, Angela will be able to resume her daily activities free of pain. She says, “I hope for a complete recovery and I have faith that I will get better.”