Diana and her husband Isaya just welcomed twins! Their family lives in the Arusha region of Tanzania. Diana works in the home, managing the household and caring for their children, while Isaya works diligently on their farm to provide food. In addition to farming, Isaya does daily work to supplement their income. After welcoming their twins, they are working hard to try to provide them with everything they need. Both babies were born with clubfoot. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This condition causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes as they grow. Fortunately, their family traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, Kafika House. There, the team will begin clubfoot treatment for both of their newborns on February 20th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $935 to fund the clubfoot repair. After treatment, he will be able to walk easily and wear shoes when he gets older. Diana Says, “I hope both my children will grow up with no disability.”

Chit is a 12-year-old girl from Burma. Her family moved to Thailand when her village was burned down. She lives with her mother, her twin sister, and her brother. Chit's mother works at home and looks after the children. Her brother runs a barber shop and her father is a monk who lives in the monastery in the village. Chit's brother's income supports their family. When Chit turned two years old, her mother noticed that whenever she tried to look at something, like pictures, she stared at them very closely. Last year, Chit had a check-up at a clinic and was told that her both eyes have cataracts so even when wearing eyeglasses, she is unable to see clearly. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund lens replacement surgery for Chit. On April 4th, doctors will perform a lens replacement, during which they will remove Chit's natural lenses and replace them with an intraocular lens implant in each eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $1,500 procedure. Chit said, “I am sad when I don’t see clearly because I can’t go to school without help from my family, I cannot study and play with my friends.” Chit's brother added, “I worry for her how she will live with her current condition when I don’t stay near her, but now when I know that she has donors to support her treatment at Chiang Mai, I am relieved.”

Brian is a teenager from Kenya. He is the third born in a family of seven children. He stopped going to school last year in March after he fell ill and currently stays at home mostly in pain. His mother is a subsistence farmer and his father works on construction sites to provide for the family. The family does not have a medical insurance coverage and cannot raise the required amount of money to pay for Brian's treatment. Brian has a painful swelling in a sensitive area which impacts his movement and his ability to engage in any physical activities. He has been to different hospitals without any improvement. Earlier this year, Brian was brought to BethanyKids Kijabe Hospital where he underwent tests and has been scheduled for an urgent surgery. Brian was diagnosed with cryptorchidism, a condition in which one or both of the testicles remains undescended. If left untreated, Brian has an increased risk of developing hernias, testicular cancer, and future fertility problems. Brian will be receiving assistance from our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH) and is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on February 22nd. AMH is requesting $646 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. Brian says, “I want the pain to go away so that I can go back to school.”