Mpapa is a 61-year-old man from a village in Malawi. He has four married children and lives with his wife and grandchildren. When he was young, Mpapa needed to stop attending primary school making it hard for him to secure a job. He depends on farming where he grows maize and groundnuts for his family and for commercial purposes to support their day-to-day costs. Mpapa was diagnosed with an enlarged prostate and scheduled for surgery with our medical partner at Nkhoma Hospital. However, he cannot afford the entire cost of the surgery. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $530 to fund the balance payment for his surgery. Mpapa says, “I hope to receive treatment and resume life without this condition.”

Meet Tichheang, a 13-year-old, second-grade student from Cambodia. His parents work as farmers, cultivating rice and cashews. His favorite subjects in school are Khmer and Sociology, and he loves playing the drums with his dad and playing soccer with his friends in his free time. When Tichheang grows up, he dreams of becoming a drummer! Around five years ago, Tichheang developed an ear infection. This infection caused a cholesteatoma, or an abnormal skin growth, to develop in the middle ear behind the ear drum. As a result, Tichheang experiences ear pain accompanied by fever, ear drainage, headaches, and weakened hearing on the right side. It is very difficult for Tichheang to communicate at school due to this condition. He is also often absent from class due to his symptoms. Tichheang's family traveled to our medical partner's care center for treatment. On April 9th, Tichheang will undergo a mastoidectomy procedure in his right ear. During this procedure, ENT surgeons will remove the cholesteatoma. Tichheang and his family are able to contribute $100 towards the cost of his treatment and need help raising $926 more to fund this procedure, which covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care. His mother shared: "I want to see my son in good health and able to communicate more easily."

Songheng works in a textile factory and lives with his parents, who are rice farmers, in Kandal province. He has a brother who lives in the family home and a married sister who lives nearby. When not working, Songheng enjoys listening to music with friends. Songheng operates machinery in a textile factory, stitching together fabrics that eventually find their way into clothing sold around the globe. On January 11th, his hand slipped while cutting through a thick piece of fabric with a mechanical saw. The sharp blade tore through his left arm, severing the radial nerves in his wrist. He was taken to a local hospital for surgical repair, but doctors told him they were unable to suture the radial nerves in his hand that are crucial for movement and sensation. Songheng is unable to use his left hand and feels constant burning in his thumb due to the damage to his nerves. He cannot work and is worried that he is unable to contribute to the family finances. Without proper treatment, he might never fully regain function in his hand. The hospital directed him to our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre. Skilled surgeons at CSC have achieved positive results for patients in removing damaged nerve or tendon sections, reconnecting healthy nerve ends, or implanting a piece of nerve/tendon from another part of the body. These procedures can repair the damage, and attempt to restore as much function as possible. With limited finances, Songheng needs help with the $572 cost of the procedure, which will cover medications, surgery, post-operative care, and physiotherapy. His surgery is scheduled for February 16th. Songheng said: "I am hopeful the doctors can fix my hand so I can work again and have no pain."