Sa Ki is a 43-year-old woman who lives with her parents and son in a refugee camp along the Thai-Burma border. Her parents are retired and her son is a mullah in the refugee camp. Sa Ki works as a case worker for a community organisation. In June 2022, Sa Ki began experiencing worrying symptoms including lower abdominal pain and back pain. She has been advised to undergo a total abdominal hysterectomy which involves the surgical removal of her uterus and cervix. If left untreated, Sa Ki's symptoms will continue to worsen and put her at risk for further health complications. Sa Ki is scheduled to undergo a hysterectomy on February 22nd. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to cover the cost of her procedure and care. Once recovered, she will no longer experience pain and she will be able to return to work without any discomfort. Sa Ki said: "When I heard that I need surgery, I started to feel worried and scared. I also worried that if I could not get proper treatment, I would not be able to look after and support my parents."

Shinka is a 6-year-old boy from Kenya. He is the last born in a family of seven children. His father, who was the sole breadwinner of the family passed away in 2017 after a short illness. To provide for the family, the eldest son, who finished his high school studies last year, sells milk to earn some money. Sometimes the earnings are not much, and they have to rely on family members for financial support. The family does not have medical coverage and is not able to raise the money needed to pay for Shinka's surgery. In May of last year, Shinka started experiencing some difficulty when passing urine. At some point, he had stopped going to school for a few weeks. His mother shared Shinka's condition with his uncle who took him to a local health center for review. Shinka was examined and referred to our facility. When he came with his uncle for examination, doctors were able to diagnose his condition and also found a condition called cryptorchidism that first requires a bilateral orchidopexy surgery. If left untreated, Shinka has an increased risk of developing hernias, testicular cancer, and fertility problems in the future. Shinka will be receiving assistance from our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH). Fortunately, he is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on January 11th. AMHF is requesting $646 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. Shinka’s uncle says, “We are very much worried as a family about Shinka’s condition. His studies are affected, and we want him to go back to school as soon as possible.”

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.”