Joyce is a 14-year-old girl from Tanzania. She lives with her parents and four siblings in a pastoralist Maasai community. She is currently in Standard Six at a local primary school and is known by her teachers as a determined and respectful student. Joyce has been living with a severe extensor tendon contracture and burn scar contracture affecting her right hand and wrist. Over the years, the condition has gradually limited her ability to open her hand, extend her wrist, and use her fingers effectively. Despite these challenges, Joyce remains committed to being productive. She has adapted by using her left hand for writing and most school activities, which has slowed her work and made classroom tasks more difficult. At home, she participates in household chores, but tasks that require gripping, lifting, or two-handed coordination are hard for her. Simple activities like carrying water, washing clothes, or holding tools can be painful and frustrating. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Joyce receive treatment. On February 18th, surgeons will perform contracture release surgery and a skin graft to significantly improve her ability to write, care for herself, and participate fully in school and home life. Now, she needs help to fund this $832 procedure. Joyce says, “I try to do everything with my left hand, but it is slow and difficult. I would desire my right hand to work so I can write and do my schoolwork without struggle.”

Bright is a 43-year-old father of three children, all aged below 10 years. He works as a bricklayer and also serves as a foreman to support his family. Due to his current condition, Bright has frequently been absent from work, leading to a substantial reduction in his income. In 2018, Bright was diagnosed with an inguinal hernia, a condition that occurs when abdominal tissue protrudes through a weak spot in the lower abdominal muscles, causing a bulge in the groin area. Initially, the swelling would intermittently disappear and was not painful, but over time, his condition worsened; the swelling persisted and was accompanied by abdominal pain and discomfort. Bright was taken to hospital and was scheduled for surgery, but the procedure kept being delayed due to surgical workload at the public hospital. He was then referred to our medical partner's care center, Partners in Hope Medical Center (PIH). Bright's surgery has been scheduled for April 6th at PIH. He believes that undergoing surgical repair will restore his health, allow him to fully concentrate on his work, and enable him to resume his responsibilities as the sole provider for his young family. Bright is contributing to the cost of his surgery, but needs help raising $575 to fund the procedure. He says: "Your support will transform my life. The energy I had for my job is no longer there due to the pain and discomfort. I am unable to concentrate at all."

Vy is a 76-year-old retired rice farmer from Prey Veng province. She is a widow, as her husband died due to lung disease. She has one son, six daughters and ten grandchildren. Now, Vy lives with her youngest daughter, who works as a garment factory worker. She enjoy to listen to the monks' sermons on the radio in her free time. About three years ago, Vy developed a cataract in her right eye, causing her itchiness, tearing, and severely blurry vision. A cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye, so it is like looking through a frosty or fogged-up window. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so she is not able to go places on her own. When Vy learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On March 16th, doctors will perform a phacoemulsification cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in her right eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, Children's Surgical Centre is requesting $263 to fund this procedure. Vy said, "I hope after surgery my eye can see better, so I can easily recognize my relatives and go far places on my own. I also look forward to going to ceremonies at the pagoda."