Ilhaam is a seven-year-old girl from Tanzania. She lives with her parents and her younger sister, the only surviving children after her parents tragically lost their first set of twins shortly after birth. Ilhaam is a cheerful child who enjoys playing with other children in her neighborhood. She loves singing and dancing. Ilhaam’s father works as a primary school teacher and is the sole provider for the family. Although he works hard to support his household, the cost of surgery is beyond what he can afford. Her parents are hopeful that with support, their daughter will receive the treatment she needs to walk comfortably and return to enjoying childhood activities. Ilhaam has been diagnosed with unilateral left valgus, a condition where the left knee angles inward. Several factors could cause this condition, such as growth disorders, vitamin deficiencies, or excessive fluoride found in contaminated drinking water. As a result, the knees can be angled inwards or outwards, making it difficult to walk and may cause long-term joint damage. Over time, Ilhaam's condition has worsened, and she has begun experiencing pain while standing or walking for long periods. Her parents first sought help at a nearby health facility where they were told that her bones might be weak and she was given calcium supplements. Despite following the advice, her condition did not improve. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $631 to fund treatment for Ilhaam. The procedure is scheduled to take place on March 10th at our medical partner's care center, Kafika House. Treatment will hopefully restore Ilhaam's mobility, allow her to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease her risk of future complications. Ilhaam's father says, "I only wish to see my daughter walk, dance and play without pain, and grow up like other children."

Htee is a 10-year-old girl from Burma. She lives with her family in a refugee camp in Mae Hong Son province, Thailand. Htee and her two siblings were born and raised in the camp. Her parents met and married there after relocating in 2006 due to conflicts between armed groups in their village. Htee’s mother is a homemaker, while her father works as a day laborer. She is currently enrolled in the camp school and is in Grade 5. Additionally, Htee's four cousins live with the family and also attend school. In her free time, Htee enjoys playing with her brother and friends. For two days, Htee has been experiencing troubling symptoms, including severe pain at right lower part of abdominal, high fever, vomiting and lethargy. She is currently admitted at Mae Sariang Hospital, where she was diagnosed with appendicitis. She needs urgent surgery to prevent her condition from getting worse. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is helping Htee receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo an appendectomy, a surgery to remove the appendix when it becomes infected, on April 20th, at Mae Sariang Hospital. This procedure will cost $1500, and Htee and her family need your support. Htee’s father said, “My daughter is an active child. She loves to go to school and never missed attendance. Now she is in severe pain, and I hope that she gets better after treatment.”

Mahamadou is a four-year-old boy from Mali. For the past year, Mahamadou has been experiencing an inguino-scrotal hernia, a condition where abdominal tissue protrudes through a weak spot in the abdominal wall and extends down into the scrotal sac. He also has a hydrocele. These conditions have been causing him swelling and much discomfort. Fortunately, on April 23rd, Mahamadou will undergo hernia repair surgery at our medical partner's care center. Our medical partner, Muso, is requesting $611 to fund Mahamadou's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow him to live a healthier life. Mahamadou's parents shared, "We hope that this treatment will make the swelling and discomfort disappear."