Binyam is a seven-month-old baby boy from Ethiopia. He loves watching animations and listening to songs. He lives with his parents in a small, rented home. Although his family’s income is limited, their love and determination are strong. His father works as a daily laborer and provides for the household. His mother, however, does not have a permanent job. During the holidays, she sells candles around the church to support the family. Before Binyam was born, his mother had a difficult motherhood journey. She suffered two miscarriages, and a third pregnancy that ended tragically when the baby died after one week. At some point, she lost hope that she would ever have a child. When she discovered that she was pregnant again and gave birth to Binyam, the entire family felt immense joy and relief. Since birth, Binyam has had an umbilical hernia, which is a tissue bulge in the belly button area, that occurs due to a weak spot in the abdominal wall. The condition has been causing him discomfort especially when he cries, or plays actively. His mother first noticed the swelling when Binyam’s umbilical cord fell off. At first, she hoped it would resolve naturally, but the swelling continued to grow and increase in size. Worried, she shared with a nurse during a routine vaccine clinic and was referred to a higher-level hospital. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Binyam receive treatment. On July 20th, he will undergo hernia repair surgery to relieve his symptoms, allowing him a healthier life as he grows older. Now, Binyam's family needs help to fund this $512 procedure. Binyam’s mother says, “Thank you very much for the service and support. Finally, my prayers have been answered. I truly wish and pray that my child will be safe and recover well after the surgery.”

Sothea is a ten-year-old boy from Cambodia. He lives in the Takeo Province with his grandmother, who is a rice farmer, and his younger brother. His parents work in the city to support the family; his mother is employed in a garment factory, and his father works in construction. Sothea is currently in third grade, and his favorite subject is math. He hopes to become a teacher when he grows up. In his free time, he enjoys playing games outside with his friends in the village. For the past year, Sothea has been experiencing difficulty swallowing and breathing while sleeping. He snores at night and frequently experiences a sore throat. His condition affects his sleep and causes discomfort throughout the day, making it difficult for him to rest well and affecting his overall health and school activities. Sothea was recently diagnosed with enlarged tonsils and adenoids, which, if not treated, will cause his symptoms to persist and possibly intensify over time. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $345 to fund a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy for Sothea, which is scheduled to take place on May 12. Surgeons will remove his tonsils and adenoids, hopefully relieving Sothea of his symptoms and helping him breathe and sleep much more comfortably. His mother said, “I hope this treatment will help my child breathe and sleep better so he can grow up healthy and strong.”

Srey Neth is a 13-month-old baby girl from Cambodia. She lives in Kandal Province with her grandmother and older brother, who is in Grade 2. Due to financial difficulties, her parents moved to the city to work, with her father working as a grocery seller and her mother working in a garment factory. She enjoys playing with dolls and toys and likes eating sour fish soup and fried pork with vegetables. Srey Neth was born with syndactyly of her left hand. This means that her first, second, third, and fourth fingers of her left hand are fused and share the same nail. The fused fingers limit the normal movement and function of her left hand. This makes it difficult for her to grasp and hold toys, pick up objects, and develop normal hand skills as she grows. The condition may also affect the appearance of her hand and her confidence in the future. Fortunately, on July 21st, surgeons will perform a syndactyly repair procedure to separate and release the fused fingers. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $462 to fund this procedure. After surgery, she will be able to use her hand more easily for holding toys, grasping objects, and developing normal hand skills as she grows. Srey Neth's mother said, “I hope this surgery will help my daughter use her left hand more normally so she can hold things, play, and grow up like other children.”