Reuben is a charming five-year-old boy from Karatu district in Tanzania, the third child born in a family of four children. He is a cheerful and active child, who particularly enjoys soccer. His family relies on farming for both sustenance and income, but the proceeds are often barely enough to meet the family's needs. Consequently, they struggle to meet medical expenses and are earnestly seeking assistance. Reuben was diagnosed with bilateral genu varus, a condition where legs curve outward at the knees while the feet and ankles touch. His legs began to bow out at the age of two, and as he continued to grow, this condition worsened, making it challenging for him to walk long distances. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, which often stems from contaminated drinking water. As a result, his walking became energy-intensive, and he developed an uncomfortable gait. Recently, these mobility issues have significantly impacted his participation in beloved activities like playing soccer. Concerned about the potential hindrance this untreated condition may pose when Reuben begins school, especially due to the pain he experiences while walking and the distance of the school from home, his parents sought treatment at a local hospital. However, they were compelled to halt the treatment due to the high treatment costs. Their knowledge of our medical partner's care center, Kafika House, stemmed from a doctor who attended to Reuben two years ago. Consequently, they have embarked on a quest for his medical treatment again. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Reuben receive treatment. On May 7th, surgeons will perform a reconstructive surgery that will restore Reuben's mobility, allow him to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease his risk of future complications. Now, Reuben's family needs help to fund this $880 procedure. Ruben’s father says: “I hope my son will get treatment to correct his legs so that it is easy for him when he starts school.”

Monicah is a 36 year old from Kenya. She works as a cleaner and her income is inconsistent. She is a single mother of four children. Her older child is in primary two while the youngest is in nursery school. She is the breadwinner and their family lives in a single-room rental house costing about $7. Monica was well until December 2022. She reports that her hearing kept decreasing and one day it just went down. She has been diagnosed with severe hearing loss in both ears. She cannot hear unless someone shouts. She is accompanied by her elderly mother who is helping her. She can hear well if she gets a hearing aid device and needs two devices for both ears. She has been living with the condition for a year now and has not been able to get medical attention due to a lack of finances. Our medical partner African Mission Healthcare is requesting funds of $1,171 to cover hearing aid fitting and devices for Monicah. Monicah says, “I used to hear well, and I am looking forward to hearing again.”

Joselito, a 59-year-old father from the Philippines, works as a taxi driver and earns minimum wage. His income is insufficient to provide for his family of five, prompting him to take on extra jobs to make ends meet. Twenty years ago, Joselito began to experience troubling symptoms, including severe pain on the left side of his stomach, which radiated to his back. Initially, he tried drinking a lot of water to ease the pain, and it subsided. When he consulted with a doctor he was asked to take an ultrasound, but could not due to financial constraints. At the onset of an extremely painful episode, Joselito was rushed to a nearby hospital and was diagnosed with gallstones. He was advised to undergo a cholecystectomy, the surgical removal of the gallbladder. He was informed that if left untreated, his symptoms would continue to worsen and put him at risk of further health complications in the future. Unable to cover the cost of the necessary surgery, he was prescribed pain medication instead. Fortunately, Joselito then sought treatment through our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP). He is scheduled to undergo a cholecystectomy on March 27th. A portion of the cost of the procedure is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and Jose is seeking support for the remaining $1,128. Joselito says, "Since I started to feel the symptoms attack more often, I had to reduce my work hours and this took a toll on the family's income and expenses. While my family worries about my health, I am worried that I will not be able to give them what they need because of my condition, so I deeply appreciate the assistance I am receiving for my medical care."