Barkot is a nine-year-old boy from Ethiopia. He is in the second grade at school, and lives with his parents and brother. His mother is a police officer, and his father is a driver. Since birth, Barkot has suffered from persistent tonsillitis. The condition has been causing him pain and discomfort, difficulty in sleeping at night and snoring. This has worried his parents, especially since they both hold demanding jobs and it's challenging to have them stay home when he is sick. Additionally, frequent school absences have become a major barrier to both his academic progress and social development. Barkot was recently brought to our medical partner, Saglan Wajee General Hospital, and diagnosed with enlarged tonsils, which, if not treated, will cause his symptoms to persist and possibly intensify over time. His family is seeking $700 to fund a tonsillectomy for Barkot, which is scheduled to take place on June 6th. Surgeons will remove his tonsils, hopefully relieving Barkot of his symptoms and helping him live more comfortably. "We are fully committed to getting him healthier, to ensure that he consistently attends school and achieves academic growth," said Barkot's parents.

Both is a 23-month-old boy from Cambodia. He lives in Phnom Penh with his parents and is their only child. His father is an electrician and his mother works as a chef in a restaurant. He enjoys playing with toy cars and balls, and likes eating soup and mangoes. Both was born with polydactyly of both hands. This means that he has an extra thumb on both hands (bilateral thumb polydactyly). The condition affects his ability to grasp and hold objects properly. His parents are concerned that it may also affect his hand function and self-confidence as he grows older. Fortunately, on May 19th, surgeons will perform a polydactyly repair procedure to remove the extra digit. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $379 to fund this procedure. After surgery, the extra thumbs will be removed, improving hand function and allowing more normal grasping, development, and daily hand activities. His father said, “I hope my son can use his hands normally and grow up with confidence, without feeling shy about his appearance.”

Deborah is a 27-year-old mother of two from Kenya. Her husband is a small-scale farmer, while she stays home to manage their household and care for their children. When Deborah was two years old, she lost her hearing. She had an ear infection, underwent treatment and surgeries, but her hearing was never restored. When she was seven years old, she received hearing aids donated by missionaries. Unfortunately, she misplaced one of the hearing aids and was never able to recover it. She relied on the remaining hearing aid throughout her primary school education. Over time, her only hearing aid stopped working, leaving her with profound hearing loss. Since then, Deborah has withdrawn from social interactions, often choosing to remain at home because communicating with others has become extremely difficult. She is unable to help her children as they begin learning and growing, something that deeply saddens her. On July 8th, Deborah will be fitted with hearing aids, and our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is seeking assistance in raising $1,171. This will allow her to reconnect with her family, regain her independence, and improve her quality of life. Deborah says, "I can't help my son with his homework, and it breaks my heart to feel left out of my children's lives."