Koemsoeun is a hardworking father and former motorbike taxi driver from Cambodia. He lives in Kampong Cham province with his wife, who sells vegetables at a local market, and their three children. The eldest serves in the army, the second helps their mother at the market, and the youngest is in Grade 8. In his free time, he plants vegetables around his home. Two years ago, Koemsoeun was involved in a traffic accident that injured his right proximal tibia. After the accident, he was taken to a hospital in Vietnam, where he underwent open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) surgery. However, the wound did not heal properly and was infected. He sought treatment at a government hospital in Cambodia, where the metal implant was removed. Despite this treatment, his condition did not improve, and the wound continues to cause pain, swelling, and infection. When Koemsoeun learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On March 11th, surgeons at CSC will perform a debridement procedure to remove the damaged and infected tissue from his wound. After recovery, he is expected to walk normally again, reduce pain and infection, and resume his daily activities and ability to support his family. Koemsoeun can contribute $342, but needs help raising the remaining $342 to fund his proceure and care. Koemsoeun said, “I am very grateful for the support that helps me receive this treatment. I hope my leg will heal so I can walk normally and support my family again.”

Sha is a 56-year-old man from Burma. He lives with his wife, two daughters, and two sons in a refugee camp in Mae Hong Son Province, Thailand. Sha and one of his sons are day laborers in a village near the camp. His wife and one of his daughters are homemakers, while his other daughter is a teacher in the camp. His other son is still a student in the camp. The family has a vegetable garden around their home, and they raise chickens and pigs to sell and for their own consumption. Their combined monthly income of 5,000 THB is often not enough to cover their daily needs. They currently have a loan of 3,000 THB, money borrowed due to Sha's illness. A few days ago, Sha began to experience troubling symptoms, including severe abdominal pain with the pain radiating to his back and a fever. He has been diagnosed with appendicitis, and now needs surgery to prevent his condition from worsening. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is helping Sha receive treatment. He is scheduled to undergo an appendectomy, a surgery to remove the appendix when it becomes infected, on May 14th at Mae Sariang Hospital. This procedure will cost $1500, and Sha and his family need your support. Sha says, “I never experienced pain like this before. When the pain is very severe, I can’t breathe easily. I would like for this pain to stop.”

Faidhan is a three-year-old boy from Tanzania. He lives with both his parents, and is the second child in the family. He is an energetic and cheerful child who enjoys talking and interacting with those around him. Faidhan was diagnosed with bilateral genu varus (bow legs), a condition where the knees curve outward while the feet and ankles touch. His parents first noticed the condition when both of his legs began bending outward as he learned to walk. 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. Despite the family's attempted efforts, his walking remains difficult and the condition limits his stability. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $810 to fund treatment for Faidhan. The procedure is scheduled to take place on March 3rd at our medical partner's care center, Kafika House. Treatment will hopefully restore Faidhan's mobility, allow him to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease his risk of future complications. Faidhan's father says, “He wants to run and follow other children, but his legs cannot support him well most of the time. We hope this treatment will change his future.”