Phanith is a 31-year-old photography assistant from Cambodia. He currently lives with his father and his three siblings, and he is the second child in his family. His mother passed away ten years ago. Phanith has been unable to work since his injury. On November 3rd, 2020, Phanith was in a motor vehicle accident that caused injury and paralysis of his right arm. He was taken to a provincial hospital, then transferred due to the seriousness of his injuries. Phanith was released after a month but is still unable to move his right shoulder or lift his arm. He has been diagnosed with a brachial plexus injury on his right side. The brachial plexus is a nerve network that transmits signals from the spine to the shoulder, arm, and hand. Injuries to this nerve network can result in loss of function and sensation. As a result, Phanith is unable to lift his hand or flex his elbow, and has no movement in his fingers. Although his arm has no movement, he has paresthesia (burning or prickly sensations) of the hand and forearm, which are often quite painful. Phanith traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On March 4th, he will undergo a brachial plexus repair surgery. After recovery, he will be able to use this hand again and be physically able to find work. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $696 to fund this procedure. Phanith shared, "I hope after surgery, my right shoulder will return to full function as soon as possible."

Thida is a five-year-old child and her father is a blacksmith while her mother is a seller in the market. One of the things she likes to do when she is not in school is telling jokes to her mother :) For the past year, Thida has had difficulty swallowing. She does not sleep well at night because she cannot breathe well. Her parents are concerned because it is hard for her to concentrate in school when she doesn't sleep well. As a result, Thida often feels poorly and misses school. When Thida's parents learned about our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre, she traveled for four hours with her mother hoping for treatment. On March 30th, doctors will perform a tonsillectomy. After recovery, she will be able to breathe better and sleep more restfully at night. Now, Thida needs help to fund this $241 procedure. Thida's mother shared, “I hope after surgery that my daughter can breathe and swallow better than before. She often misses school, and she wants an education."

Peter is a third grade student from Kenya. Peter is very active and playful like many kids his age. He is the seventh son in a family of eight children. Peter's father repairs household items including basins and jerricans, and his mother is a casual laborer who washes clothes for a living. Their family currently lives together in a two-room mud house. About 10 weeks ago, Peter fell from a tall tree and he sustained a femur shaft fracture and hip dislocation. He currently walks and gets around using crutches, and there is the risk that he may not able to walk on his own again unless he receives surgical intervention. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On March 17th, Peter will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. This procedure will help him walk easily again. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,500 to fund his surgery. Peter's father shared, “[Peter] has been unable to go to school since the accident. He can’t walk without the help of crutches and if he doesn’t go for surgery he might be unable to walk normally.”