Vichheka is a 26-year-old from Cambodia. Along with caring for her daughter, Vichheka and her husband sell grocery products from their home. When Vichheka was a toddler, she fell off the front stoop of her home, possibly creating a left hip deformity. Her parents brought her to Children's Surgical Centre (CSC) for examination; it was decided that surgery was not needed at the time. Since then, she has suffered from frequent spasms down her left leg, made worse by prolonged periods of standing while working. A relative suggested she return to CSC to determine if there was a solution to her ongoing pain. Now doctors would like Vichheka to undergo contracture release surgery on her rectus femoris, a muscle in the upper leg to finally heal her condition. After recovery, Vichheka should be in less pain. Now, she needs $572 to fund her procedure. Vichheka shared "I hope I can walk easier with no more pain after this surgery, so I can help my husband and raise my child."

Desire is a six-year-old girl from Uganda. She is the first born child in a family of three children and is currently enrolled in primary school. Both her parents are small-scale farmers on a limited income, barely enough to cover the family's needs. Three years ago, noticed a swelling develop in her umbilical region that grew in size and became painful. Concerned, her mother took her to our medical partner's care center, Rushoroza Hospital, for treatment. Upon review, Desire was diagnosed with umbilical hernia and surgery was recommended, but her parents are unable to afford the treatment costs. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Desire receive treatment. On April 10th, surgeons at Rushoroza Hospital will perform a hernia repair surgery to relive her of pain and allow her to live more comfortably and confidently. Now, Desire's family needs help to fund this $170 procedure. Desire’s mother says, “I hope my daughter will have a successful surgery with positive results. After complete recovery, I believe she will live a more improved and comfortable life. May God bless you.”

Gebra is a 10-year-old boy from Tanzania and the youngest in his family of three children. His parents are farmers. They depend on their yield for the family's sustenance and sell water at a retail store for additional income. While this supplementary income helps with some expenses, they still face challenges in affording a balanced diet and, occasionally, face challenges in providing school supplies. Gebra developed a mass on the right side of his chest when he was just one month old. Although his parents sought medical attention for him when he was a baby, the doctors advised them to wait until he was older for surgery. When Gebra turned seven, they took him to the hospital for treatment, but unfortunately, that facility was not equipped for surgeries, and due to financial constraints, Gebra's family had to wait for three years. They then sought treatment at another hospital, where one of our partner doctors referred them to our medical partner's care center, Kafika House, for assistance with the surgery cost. The mass on Gebra's chest has continued to grow, limiting his range of motion in his right shoulder. Gebra will undergo surgery to remove the mass on February 6th. Now, Gebra's family needs help to raise $724 to fund this procedure. Gebra's mother said: "I hope my son gets the treatment that will help with the mass on his chest because, as he grows, it makes him feel uncomfortable being around people."