Matiyas is a two-year-old boy from Ethiopia. His mother is a homemaker who looks after Matiyas and his younger sister, while his father is a taxi driver. Since birth, he has been fighting a severe, ongoing battle with chronic tonsillitis, a condition that deeply impacts his daily life and overall well-being. His struggle is at its worst during the night. Because his tonsils are constantly swollen, he faces significant airway blockage that makes it nearly impossible for him to breathe through his nose while he sleeps. Instead of resting peacefully, he spends his nights gasping for air and struggling to catch his breath, leaving both him and his parents exhausted and worried. Our medical partner, Saglan Wajee General Hospital, is requesting $700 to fund a tonsillectomy for Matiyas, which is scheduled to take place on May 23rd. Surgeons will remove his tonsils, hopefully relieving Matiyas of his symptoms and helping him live more comfortably. Matiyas's parents shared, "Our deepest hope is for our little boy to finally breathe easily, sleep peacefully through the night, and wake up refreshed instead of gasping for air."

Rathanak is a two-year-old toddler who lives in Cambodia with his parents and twin brother. His mother works long hours at a garment factory, and his father is a hairdresser who earns a small daily income. When his parents are at work, he and his twin are looked after by their grandmother. Rathanak enjoys eating fried egg and caramelized pork, and he loves playing with toys alongside his brother. Rathanak was born with polydactyly of his right hand, meaning that he has an extra thumb. This makes it difficult for him to grasp objects and interferes with his play. As he grows older, he has also started to feel shy and self-conscious because his hand looks different from those of other children. Fortunately, on February 25th, surgeons will perform a polydactyly repair procedure to remove the extra digit. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $379 to fund this procedure. After surgery, Rathanak is expected to have improved hand function and better coordination. The procedure will help him use his right hand more comfortably and confidently, allowing him to play, learn, and perform daily activities more easily. Rathanak's mother shares, “I hope that after the surgery my son can use his hand normally, and feel confident like other children. I don’t want him to feel shy or different anymore. I just want him to grow up happy and proud of himself.”

Alemi is 35 years old and a farmer from Ethiopia. She has eight children. Managing a large household of eight children is physically exhausting. Every chore—from gathering wood for the fire to washing clothes by hand—requires immense effort. Alemi's daily life is severely limited by a right-sided bone growth on her heel, a condition that threatens both her physical mobility and her ability to sustain her family’s livelihood. She first began experiencing pain and swelling in her heel four years ago. Alemi traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On June 3rd, surgeons will perform an excisional biopsy to remove the mass. Now, Alemi needs help to raise $750 to fund this procedure. Alemi shared, "Even on my worst days, I find it impossible to rest. My body may be exhausted, but my heart urges me to keep going for my children. I know my well-being is vital for them, yet I struggle to put my own needs first." Her goal is to recover her mobility and live pain-free, allowing her to return to her essential work on the farm and support her children once again.