Malaki is a 16-year-old boy from Tanzania. He is the ninth-born child in a family of 11 children and lives with both parents, who support their family through farming maize and beans. Most of Malaki's older siblings have grown up and moved away, leaving him at home with his two younger siblings and parents. Malaki was attending secondary school but was unable to continue his education as of last year. For the past seven years, Malaki has been living with genu valgum, a condition in which the knees angle inward. Multiple factors can lead to this condition, such as growth disorders, vitamin deficiencies, or excessive fluoride found in contaminated drinking water. As a result, the knees can angle inward or outward, making it difficult to walk and leading to long-term joint damage. His condition has progressively affected his mobility, and he experiences pain when walking, making it difficult for him to cover long distances. An employee of Kafika House met Malaki's family and shared an opportunity with them for treatment and encouraged them to seek assistance at the facility. Through this referral, Malaki found an opportunity to receive the surgery he needs, a bilateral proximal tibial osteotomy. This treatment aims to improve his ability to walk, reduce discomfort, and facilitate a more active lifestyle. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $810 to fund treatment for Malaki. The procedure is scheduled to take place on October 15th at our medical partner's care center, Kafika House. The goal of the surgery is to restore Malaki's mobility, allowing him to participate in his daily activities and greatly decrease his risk of future complications. “I am grateful that I have got the opportunity to get treatment. After treatment, I want to go to help my mother," Malaki said.

Kanhchana is an eight-year-old Grade 4 student from Cambodia. She is the only child in her family. Her father is a rice farmer, while her mother works in a garment factory. She enjoys mathematics at school and likes playing with toys alongside her cousins. Her favorite meal is fried pork with ginger. When Kanhchana was three years old, she suffered a hot-water burn to her left hand. After being treated at a private clinic, the burn healed with scarring that caused her fingers to contract. She later had contracture release and skin grafting, but tightness remains between several fingers, particularly between the third and fourth fingers. Burn scars have caused contractures affecting the second through fifth fingers of her left hand. The tight webspace between her middle and ring fingers limits how comfortably she can use her hand. Her mother is also concerned that her daughter may become self-conscious about the appearance of her hand as she gets older. When Kanhchana's family learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, they traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On September 15th, surgeons at CSC will perform a burn contracture release surgery to loosen the tight area between her third and fourth fingers, helping her use and move her left hand more comfortably. Now, she needs help to fund this $652 procedure. Kanhchana's mother said, “I hope this surgery will help improve my daughter’s hand and make it easier for her to use her fingers. I also worry that she may feel shy about her hand as she grows older, so I hope the treatment will help her feel more comfortable and confident.”

Lida is a 20-year-old garment factory worker from Cambodia. She is the youngest of six siblings and lives with her elderly mother. Her father passed away three years ago, while all of her siblings work in garment factories. In her free time, she enjoys listening to music and watching movies. In September 2024, Lida was involved in a traffic accident that resulted in open fractures of her left thigh bone and shin bone. She initially received treatment at a private hospital before coming to CSC for further care. She continues to have stiffness in her left knee and ankle and needs crutches to walk. She also has discharge from the outer side of her left ankle, causing ongoing discomfort and making it difficult for her to move independently. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. On September 03, Lida will undergo a hardware removal procedure, which will cost $378. Removing the frame and applying a below-knee cast will support the next stage of her recovery, helping protect her leg while it continues to heal and allowing her to work toward walking more independently. Lida said, “I hope this treatment will help my leg heal, and reduce the infection and discomfort. I look forward to walking more independently and returning to my normal daily activities.”