John is a quiet 11-year-old boy from Kenya. John's story is a journey of compassion and the unwavering support of a dedicated well-wisher. His origin is drawn back in Tanzania, where he faced the disturbing reality of being disowned by his real parents due to his disability on his feet. John was left helpless in the unfamiliar surroundings of central Kenya. For the past seven years his guardian has stood by his side, offering not just a shelter but also a sense of belonging. John’s chapter started to change when a team of AIC Cure International doctors visited his neighborhood for a mobile clinic. He was reviewed and scheduled for surgery and underwent a successful surgery on his left foot and his left foot has healed well. John still has clubfoot of right foot. He is currently in the hospital to undergo right foot treatment, which involves serial casting to adjust the position of his foot to achieve the desired correction. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Surgeons from our medical partner's care center, AIC Cure International Hospital are scheduled to now perform clubfoot repair surgery on February 19th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,286 to fund John's clubfoot repair. After treatment, he will be able to walk easily. Once he heals, John aspires to go back to school and study and one day achieve his dream of becoming a doctor in future. John told us: “I am looking forward to seeing my foot corrected, walking properly, playing football with my friends and continuing with my studies like other children, and achieving my dream of becoming a doctor in future to also impact lives of children born like me."

Monicah is a 36 year old from Kenya. She works as a cleaner and her income is inconsistent. She is a single mother of four children. Her older child is in primary two while the youngest is in nursery school. She is the breadwinner and their family lives in a single-room rental house costing about $7. Monica was well until December 2022. She reports that her hearing kept decreasing and one day it just went down. She has been diagnosed with severe hearing loss in both ears. She cannot hear unless someone shouts. She is accompanied by her elderly mother who is helping her. She can hear well if she gets a hearing aid device and needs two devices for both ears. She has been living with the condition for a year now and has not been able to get medical attention due to a lack of finances. Our medical partner African Mission Healthcare is requesting funds of $1,171 to cover hearing aid fitting and devices for Monicah. Monicah says, “I used to hear well, and I am looking forward to hearing again.”

Roem is a 25-year-old construction worker from Prey Veng province. Roem shares a home with his mother, his elderly grandmother, and his three siblings - one brother, and two sisters. Most of the family farms rice or works in local clothing factories. Last August, Roem was riding his motorbike, when he collided with a trailer that was being towed by another motorbike. The collision resulted in significant injuries, particularly to Roem's right forearm, which was fractured, along with his wrist. The local clinic where his parents took him asked for $800 to do surgery, a price beyond their means, so the family traveled three hours to seek help from our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre. Roem underwent an open reduction internal fixation of his right radial fracture, and several metacarpal bones. However, subsequent complications, including persistent infections, necessitate the removal of the hardware that was placed during the initial surgery. Children's Surgical Centre is requesting $304 to defray the cost of the hardware removal procedure, which is scheduled for January 8th, at Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre. This procedure should eliminate infections at the surgical site, and facilitate the ongoing healing process of Roem's bones. Roem said: "I hope the infection goes away and my hand is better, so I can go back to construction work to help my family."