Sophea is 18 years old and a young factory worker from Cambodia. She lives in a small village in Battambang province with her parents, who are cassava farmers. She is the middle child of three siblings. Her older brother works as a construction worker to help support the family, and her younger sister is studying in Grade 5. Due to financial difficulties, she stopped studying in Grade 10. In her free time, she enjoys watching movies and listening to music. Four months ago, Sophea was involved in a traffic accident when another motorcycle suddenly collided with her, causing paralysis to her left hand. She has been diagnosed with a brachial plexus injury on her left 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. She is unable to lift or properly use her left hand and experiences pain and stiffness in her fingers. This makes it difficult for her to perform daily activities such as dressing, cooking, and holding objects. The weakness and discomfort forced her to stop working, adding financial stress to her family. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is helping Sophea receive treatment. She traveled to our medical partner's care center, Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre, the only center in the whole country where this treatment is available. On February 26th, she will undergo a brachial plexus repair surgery. After recovery, The treatment will help improve movement and strength in her left hand, reduce pain and stiffness, and gradually restore hand function. Sophea's family can contribute $100, but needs help to raise $637 more to fund her surgery and care. Sophea said, “Since the accident, I have not been able to use my left hand like before. I hope this treatment will help me regain strength so I can return to my normal life and support my family again.”

Samwel is a seven-year-old boy from Tanzania. He is the fifth child in a family of six. His mother is a farmer, and his father keeps livestock. Samwel has clubfoot on his left foot. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. The tissues connecting the muscle to the bones are shorter than usual, and this causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. As the pain increased, Samwel began missing school and eventually dropped out because walking to and from class became too difficult. His family had never sought specialized treatment before, as they were unaware that corrective care was available. Through a village outreach visit, Samwel was identified and referred to our medical partner's care center, Kafika House. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, can help. Samwel will begin clubfoot treatment on February 10th, and he needs help raising $1,119 to fund his care. After treatment, he will be able to walk without pain and return to school, restoring his chance at education and a productive future. Samwel's father says, “He stopped going to school because of the pain he experiences while walking, and I fear for his future if he fails to be treated.”

Edson is a five-year-old boy from Haiti. He lives with his parents and older sister in a neighborhood of Port-au-Prince, where his parents work as vendors. Edson is in preschool, likes arts and crafts, and has been learning to read. Edson has a cardiac condition that involves several related congenital conditions, including a hole between the two lower chambers of the heart and a muscular blockage of one of the valves. These defects prevent blood from circulating normally through the heart and from passing through the lungs to obtain enough oxygen. Edson needs to fly to the Dominican Republic to receive treatment. On April 6th, surgeons will sew a patch over the hole in his heart and remove the muscular blockage from the valve. Our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, has raised $6,500 to assist in paying for surgery. Edson's family needs help funding the costs of surgical preparation. He needs help raising $1,500 to cover labs, medicines, and check-up and follow-up appointments. It also supports securing travel documents for the family and travel costs for the social workers from our medical partner, who will accompany Edson's family overseas. Edson's mother shared, "Our family is hopeful that after this surgery, our son's health will finally be completely normal!"