Four-year-old Sinan is a KG 1 student living in Ethiopia. He is the only child of his loving parents. His mother sells vegetables, while his father is a wood craftsman at a local furniture workshop. One year ago, Sinan started to experience a loss of appetite, painful swallowing, severe snoring and nightly sleep disruptions. His throat hurts all the time, swallowing is painful, and his sleep is interrupted every night. He eats so little that doctors had to prescribe medicine to help him regain his appetite. Initially, Sinan's parents didn't realize how serious the situation was, so they treated him with simple painkillers from the local clinic. Four months ago, however, his symptoms grew much worse, and they took him to a specialist hospital. Doctors found severe tonsillitis, and said that he needed surgery as soon as possible. For his parents, the hardest part is watching their only child in pain, day after day, and needing medicine simply to eat. They work hard, yet they still cannot pay for the operation that would make him well. This weighs heavily on them. Our medical partner, Saglan Wajee General Hospital, is requesting $700 to fund a tonsillectomy for Sinan, which is scheduled to take place on October 17th. Surgeons will remove his tonsils, hopefully relieving Sinan of his symptoms, and helping him to live more comfortably. "We have waited so long and we feel helpless. We cannot wait for this surgery to finally be done," said Sinan's parents.

Kelemua is a hardworking widow from Ethiopia who, at 80 years old, still supports her five sons by farming the land. However, she is losing her independence because of severe cataracts. Her vision is severely clouded, causing light sensitivity and making it difficult for her to move around safely. Her daily farm work and household chores now pose a risk of injury with her limited eyesight. And she is no longer able to contribute to the family’s income or do the work she loves. Two years ago, Kelemua developed a cataract in both eyes, causing her pain, blurry vision, and tearing. A cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye, blurring vision. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, and going anywhere outside. Fortunately, Kelemua is scheduled to undergo cataract surgery on June 10th, when surgeons will remove and replace the blurred lens in both eyes. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly and resume her daily activities. Our medical partner, Saglan Wajee General Hospital, is requesting $300 to fund her procedure. "My greatest hope is to regain my sight so I can move around safely again. I miss working on the farm and helping out at home, and I want to get back to contributing to my family’s life," said Kelemua.

Menghab is a 24-year-old farmer from Cambodia. He lives in Kandal Province with his parents. He is the middle child of three siblings; his brother works in a factory, and his sister is in Grade 12. Before his injury, he worked as a rice farmer and enjoyed playing football with friends in his village. Menghab sustained a traumatic brain injury after being struck by a car while standing on the roadside. Following prolonged immobility during recovery, he developed severe pressure sores in different parts of his body. The condition has caused large, painful wounds that make it difficult for him to move, sit comfortably, and participate in daily activities. His recovery has been slow and complicated by repeated hospital admissions and ongoing weakness. Menghab learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), and sought treatment. On June 3rd, surgeons at CSC will perform a skin graft procedure to help close the chronic wounds, promote healing, reduce pain, and prevent further infection, supporting his recovery and rehabilitation toward greater independence. Now, Menghab needs help to fund this $583 procedure. Menghab's father said, “My greatest hope is that my son will continue to recover, regain his strength, and become more independent through treatment and rehabilitation.”