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.”

50-year-old Snollah is a small-scale businesswoman who sells tomatoes in her neighborhood in Malawi. Together, she and her husband have three children, the youngest of whom is still in school. Snollah's husband is a quantity surveyor who is currently unable to work, due to a diagnosis of prostate cancer, for which he is receiving treatment. For about three years now, Snollah has been experiencing backaches, lower abdominal pains and a lack of appetite. At first, she was treated for epigastric pain, but when that didn't work, she returned to the hospital, where scans revealed several large, uterine fibroids. Because of the size of these tumors, they are considered to be potentially dangerous, as they can cause pressure on other organs. She was informed that she would need to undergo a hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,363 to fund Snollah's surgery, which is scheduled to take place on June 8th, at Partners in Hope Medical Center. Once recovered, Snollah will be able to resume her daily activities free of pain, and to continue to support her husband. She says, "I experience fullness in my belly which is very uncomfortable. Your support will provide comfort and help me be a supportive mother."

Jesus is a 12-year-old student from Colombia. He is a calm boy, and like all children, can be mischievous at times, but overall is very easygoing. He enjoys video games and playing soccer. When he grows up, he wants to be a soccer player and play in the World Cup, just like Cristiano Ronaldo. Jesus has an inguinal hernia, a protrusion of abdominal contents through the inguinal canal. Surgery has been recommended to correct it and prevent possible future complications. This condition causes pain, which worsens with physical activity and may limit his movements. Fortunately, on July 28th, Jesus will undergo repair surgery, and our medical partner, Clinica Noel, is requesting $1,005 to fund Jesus's surgery. Once completed, this procedure should allow him to live more comfortably. Jesus's parents said, "We would like to express our deepest and most sincere gratitude for the invaluable support you provided by making our son’s hernia surgery possible. Your generosity touched our lives at a time of uncertainty and worry, becoming a true act of love, solidarity, and hope."