Andrew is a two-year-old boy from Uganda. He is the lastborn in a family of three children, with an older brother and sister who are both attending school. His mother is a small-scale farmer and his father earns a living through boda-boda transport. Andrew can speak a few words in his local language and is a playful and cheerful child who is just beginning to take his first steps. Since shortly after birth, Andrew has had an inguinal hernia, a condition that occurs when abdominal tissue protrudes through a weak spot in the lower abdominal muscles, causing a bulge in the groin area. His mother was initially advised to wait and give him time to grow before further intervention. Over time, however, the swelling began to appear more frequently and worsened, affecting his ability to walk and causing him to fear movement due to pain. Recently, he has become increasingly irritable, crying frequently and vomiting after eating. Fortunately, on May 5th, Andrew will undergo hernia repair surgery with the help of our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare. His family is seeking support to raise $230 to fund the surgery, which will allow him to live more comfortably and pain-free. Andrew’s mother expressed, “My greatest wish is to see my son get better. If I were financially able, I would do everything possible to ensure that he undergoes the surgery. Unfortunately, at the moment, I am unable to afford the cost, yet surgery is the only option for his complete recovery. I therefore humbly seek your support.”

Sophy is a 36-year-old woman from Battambang Province in Cambodia. She is married and has two children: a daughter in 11th grade and a son in 8th grade. Sophy and her husband are rice farmers. Sophy also sells breakfast to support her family, and in her free time, she enjoys going to the market to buy ingredients. In 2018, Sophy was in a motorcycle accident. Although there was no bone fracture at the time, she later developed bruising on her right ankle. The wound has not healed since. Due to the chronic infection on her ankle, Sophy been experiencing pain for years and has difficulty carrying out her work and daily activities. When Sophy learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), she traveled for four hours seeking treatment. On May 12th, surgeons at CSC will perform a debridement procedure to help remove infected tissue and support proper healing of the chronic wound. Sophy contributed $50 toward her care and needs assistance raising $367 to fund the remaining cost of her procedure. Sophy said, "After the surgery, I hope that my wound will heal completely so I can walk comfortably and take care of my family again."

Rachel is an active and social 12-year-old girl from Kenya. Despite her challenges, she remains hopeful and optimistic about her future. Rachel is currently in Grade 7, but has paused her studies due to her medical condition. Two days after Rachel was born, her mother noticed that Rachel's head was enlarging and that her eyes appeared sunken. Rachel was diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess fluid accumulates in the brain and increases intracranial pressure. Rachel underwent shunt insertion surgery to drain the excess fluid, but the shunt failed within days. Rachel and her mother then journeyed 130 kilometers to our medical partner's care center, BethanyKids Kijabe Hospital. There, Rachel underwent a successful shunt revision surgery, and her mother’s joy was beyond words. They returned home, and life improved significantly. Unfortunately, hydrocephalus shunts can become blocked over time, making revision surgeries necessary. Rachel has had two more surgeries at three and seven years of age. She now requires another shunt revision surgery, so that she can resume her daily activities like other children her age. Without surgery, Rachel will experience severe physical and developmental delays. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $719 to cover the cost of surgery for Rachel that will treat her hydrocephalus. The procedure is scheduled to take place on February 13th and will drain the excess fluid from Rachel's brain. Rachel shares, "I am in pain, I haven't been able to go to school. I want to get better so that I can continue learning. I look forward to leaving the hospital feeling better so that I can go home, play with my siblings, and attend school."