Sovannara is a nine-year-old boy who lives with his parents in Kampong Chhnang province in Cambodia. Both his father and mother work as rice farmers. Sovannara is currently in grade four and particularly enjoys studying Khmer language and history. He aspires to become a teacher. When Sovannara was a baby, fell off a bed, resulting in a neck injury. He has been suffering from torticollis, the twisting of the muscles on the left side of his neck, which leads to tightness and shortening of the muscles. Consequently, Sovannara's head tilts to one side, and one shoulder appears elevated compared to the other. Turning his head to the right is arduous and painful for him. Sovannara has not received any prior medical treatment for his condition, because his parents cannot afford to pay for his care. Fortunately, they were referred to our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), for diagnosis and treatment. On April 5th, Sovannara will undergo a procedure at Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre, to release the sternocleidomastoid muscle on the left side of his neck. After the procedure, Sovannara will be able to bend his neck and turn his head without difficulty. Sovannara needs $572 to fund this procedure. Sovannara's father said, "We hope our son will be able to control his neck and can join in daily activities in school and at home."

Kenay is a sweet eleven-month-old baby boy from Ethiopia who loves to play with his mom. He is the fourth child of his parents. Kenay has started weaning and is eating Plumpy Nut, a nutrition supplement donated by the government and organizations to children with malnutrition, as Kenay was underweight. Kenay’s dad is a farmer and has land, but because of the drought, they couldn’t harvest enough, even for the family’s consumption. Initially, Kenay got his emergency colostomy from Sekota Hospital, which was supported by the community. However, he became so sick and underweight that his mother and some family members lost hope in his ability to survive. Fortunately, his mom heard about our medical partner’s care center, BethanyKids, from a social worker, and upon learning that they could get treatment for his condition, their hope increased. Bethany Kids covered the family’s transportation and accommodation to bring Kenay to the hospital, where the medical team first put him on a nutrition program for over four months to treat malnutrition. Now, Kenay’s weight is normal, and he is fit for surgery. Kenay was born with an anorectal malformation, a congenital abnormality that leads to a complete or partial intestinal blockage. He needs to undergo a series of procedures to eliminate bowel dysfunction. The long journey with multiple issues with his colostomy care has significantly impacted the psychological health of his parents, and they are requesting financial assistance with his surgery cost. Kenay is scheduled to undergo surgery to correct his condition on November 22nd. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is requesting $1,500 to cover Kenay’s procedure and care costs. After his recovery, Kenay will no longer experience bowel dysfunction or be at risk of developing health complications in the future. Kenay’s mom said, “I hope my child will get treatment, and I hope he will heal after the treatment. I hope I will see him growing up and start a decent life.”

Phanith is an 18-year-old student who lives in Takeo province in Cambodia with his parents and two siblings. His mother works in a clothing factory and his father works in construction. In December 2021, Phanith was involved in a motorcycle accident. He lost consciousness and suffered damage to his brachial piexus or the network of nerves that branch off from the spinal cord in the neck and extend down into his shoulder, arm, and hand. In addition, he fractured the lower bone of his left arm. At a local hospital in Takeo province, he underwent an open reduction and internal fixation of his left radius, to repair the fracture. However, he still suffers from weakness, loss of sensation, and paralysis in his left shoulder and arm. Phanith lives in constant pain because the hardware from his surgery has become exposed and is infected. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. On April 5th, Phanith will undergo a hardware removal procedure. Phanith is able to contribute $80 but needs your help to raise another $304 to fund the procedure. The removal of the hardware will eliminate the source of the chronic infection and allow surgeons to concentrate on rehabilitation for his brachial plexus injury. Phanith shared, "I hope I will have no more infection, be able to move my left arm, and be able to return to finish school."