Trizah is an 18-month-old baby girl who is especially playful around her mother. Trizah lives with her parents and three siblings in Kenya, where her mother works as a casual laborer washing clothes, and her father is employed at a welding workshop. Because of the hydrocephalus she was diagnosed with early on, Trizah has already undergone more than three surgeries in her young life. She had a shunt insertion procedure done a few days after her birth, which needed to be revised in May 2022. Her hydrocephalus has worsened, requiring the placement of two external ventricular drains in 2023. Sadly, the revised shunt has failed, and Trizah is now in need of another surgery to have a new shunt inserted to drain the excess fluids in her brain and alleviate the intracranial pressure caused by the fluids. Trizah also needs surgery to stop the convulsions she has been experiencing, and prevent the severe physical and developmental delays that result from untreated hydrocephalus. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $720 to cover the cost of the surgery to treat her hydrocephalus. The procedure is scheduled to take place on February 22nd at BethanyKids Kijabe Hospital. The excess fluid will be drained from Trizah's brain, reducing the intracranial pressure, and greatly improving her quality of life. With proper treatment, Trizah should develop into a strong and healthy young girl. Trizah’s mother says: “She has been having surgeries since birth. Her head is increasing in size, and she is experiencing scary convulsions. I just hope this treatment will help her to recover.”

Eang is a 59-year-old rice farmer from Kompong Cham province. He is married, with one son. At home, he enjoys listening to news on the radio and watching agriculture shows on TV. About ten years ago, Eang developed a pterygium in his right eye, causing him tearing, itchiness, and irritation. He feels like there is always something in his eye and it is very uncomfortable. Pterygiums are non-cancerous growths of the conjunctiva, a mucous layer that lubricates the eye. The growths occur when the conjunctiva is exposed to excessive sun damage and the cells grow abnormally over the pupil. When Eang learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for two and half hours seeking treatment. Eang needs a surgical procedure to remove the abnormal conjunctiva from the cornea surface and replace it with a conjunctival graft to prevent recurrence. The total cost of his procedure is $225. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care for two days. The procedure is scheduled for January 11th. Eang said, "I hope I will feel better and I can easily work on my rice farm."

Eliud is a 41-year-old truck driver. He is quiet and talks with a lot of calmness. He is married with two children aged 2 and 6 years and the sole breadwinner for his family, as his wife is a homemaker who does not have any source of income. To earn a living, Eliud works as a truck driver earning a commission on jobs. He shared that depending on the availability of work, his income is often inconsistent and negligible. Following a road accident, he has been unable to work and his family has been incapable of raising funds for his treatment. He is requesting financial assistance as he has no medical insurance coverage. On 12th March, Eliud was involved in a road accident. While driving his truck, he swayed off the road as he tried to avoid a pedestrian and hit a post, suffering a broken ankle and a bruised leg. He was rushed to a local health facility for first aid and later referred to our medical partner at Kijabe Hospital for surgery and an orthopedic review. An x-ray revealed a right open tibial plafond fracture. This is the joint between the tibia and ankle bone. He went to the operating theater and had an external fixator, called ex-fix, put in place to stabilize his bones. He was discharged two days later and advised to come after two weeks for a clinic check-up. When he returned to the clinic, doctors determined that an urgent tibial plafond ORIF (Ankle ORIF) is required. It is difficult for Eliud to walk or work. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On April 5th, Eliud will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. This procedure will help him walk easily again and he will be able to resume work to earn for his family. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $979 to fund this procedure. Eliud says, “I broke my leg during this accident and cannot walk. As a driver, I cannot work because of the fracture. I need this surgery to make the leg well and be able to drive.”