The birth of twins Jane and her sister brought joy to their parents. She is the 4th born in a family of five. She is a bright grade 1 student who likes reading, drawing and colouring. Her family hails from a small village, and both her parents are farmers. Soon after birth, her parents discovered the challenge of Jane being born with multiple birth conditions: Bilateral clubfeet, hydrocephalus, and spina bifida. They shared that they were quite shocked as they had not heard or experienced any of them before. Treatment for hydrocephalus and spina bifida required a collaborative effort between orthopaedic specialists and neurosurgeons. At ten days, she underwent a spina bifida surgery at a local hospital to address the neural tube defect affecting her spine and then hydrocephalus. Jane is a resilient girl and has overcome so much, carrying a big smile on her face. She now needs treatment for her clubfoot condition as her feet are bent inward, hindering her mobility. She is scheduled to undergo surgery, which will be impactful to her because she will be able to walk confidently like other children and continue with her education. “My desire is to see my daughter walking well and any kind of help is greatly appreciated,” Jane’s mother told us.

Dorcas is a housewife from Kenya. She comes from a family of seven children, she is the third oldest. Her father passed away some years back, but her mother is alive. Dorcas attended school until 7th grade, but she was unable to complete schooling due to financial difficulties. She worked as a house helper until she got married and now is a mother of two children. Currently she picks up temporary jobs, but since she fractured her arm, she has not been able to work. She and her husband rent a single-room timber house with electricity and use charcoal for cooking. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, can help. On February 29th, surgeons will repair her arm with a procedure called an open reduction and internal fixation, a method to fix severe fractures that can't be treated with a cast or splint. The procedure will help her arm heal well, and she can work again. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, requests $1,079 to fund this procedure. Dorcas says, "I'm kindly asking for your help. I'm looking forward to doing my casual jobs to support my husband to take care of the family."

Channy is a bright 11-year-old girl. Residing in Takeo province, she shares a home with her parents and younger brother. Her family's livelihood revolves around rice farming, with some vegetable crops to add to their diet. Currently in the 6th grade, she enjoys Khmer history and English. Looking towards the future, she would like to become a teacher when she grows up. When she is at home, she enjoys playing with dolls and eating her mother's fried pork with rice. For four years, Channy has been experiencing a sore throat with difficulty swallowing and sleeping at night. She does not sleep well and has missed school. She has trouble eating and gaining weight due to a sore throat. Her mother bought medicine from the local pharmacy, but it did not help. Channy was recently diagnosed with enlarged tonsils and adenoids, which, if not treated, will cause her symptoms to persist and possibly intensify over time. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $265 to fund a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy for Channy, which is scheduled to take place on January 3rd. Surgeons will remove her tonsils and adenoids, hopefully relieving Channy of her symptoms and helping her live much more comfortably. Her mother shared: "I hope Channy stops having throat infections after the operation. We hope she sleeps and eats better than before."