Dina is an 18-year-old construction worker from Cambodia. He lives in Kampong Cham Province with his parents, who are rice farmers. He is the second of four siblings. His older brother is a construction worker, his sister works in a garment factory, and his youngest brother is just three years old. In his free time, he helps his family with farming work in the fields. Dina was born with a unilateral incomplete cleft lip and cleft palate. He underwent surgery for his cleft lip and palate, but there is still a gap in his gums that affects his eating, speaking, and the symmetry of his face. Dina needs surgery to close the gap. Fortunately, Dina visited our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), for further treatment. There, surgeons will perform an alveolar bone graft procedure on June 19th. This procedure will help close the gap and support proper eruption of the permanent teeth in the upper jaw. This will improve his ability to chew food more effectively, enhance speech clarity, and support better dental alignment. It will also improve facial appearance and help boost his self-confidence in social interactions and daily life. His family can contribute $50, but needs help raising $615 more to fund his procedure and care. Dina said, “I hope that with treatment, I will be able to improve my teeth and bite properly, speak more clearly, and smile with confidence without feeling shy about my appearance.”

Alfred is a 76-year-old elderly man from Malawi. He is a husband and father of eight children, all of whom are now grown and living on their own. He once relied on farming to support his family, but in recent years, his health has limited how much he can do. For the past five years, he has been walking with the help of a walking stick. In 2024, Alfred started experiencing urinary retention. Alfred was diagnosed with Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia, which is an enlarged prostate. A catheter was placed and since then, it has needed to be changed every month, a process that has brought ongoing discomfort, making even simple activities difficult. He needs to undergo a prostatectomy, a surgery to remove part or all of the prostate. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Alfred receive treatment. The surgery is scheduled to take place at Nkhoma Hospital on May 6th and, once completed, it will improve Alfred's quality of life. Alfred and his family are able to contribute towards the cost of his treatment, but need help raising an additional $530 to fund the surgery. He says, “I have lived with this condition for a long time, and it has not been easy. I want to be free from the catheter and the discomfort it brings. I am hoping to get help so that I can have the surgery treatment, and live more comfortably again.”

Monny is a six-year-old student from Cambodia. She lives in Kandal Province with her parents and siblings. Her father is a car repairer and her mother sells snacks in front of a local factory. She is the middle child of three siblings and is currently studying in Grade 1. She enjoys playing dolls with her friends. Her favorite meal is Tom Yum soup, and she hopes to become a teacher in the future. For the past two months, Monny has been experiencing difficulty in breathing, snoring at night, sore throat, cough, and occasional vomiting. The symptoms affect her sleep quality and daily comfort. She experiences discomfort especially at night, which affects her energy and school activities Monny was recently diagnosed with enlarged tonsils and adenoids, which, if not treated, will cause her symptoms to persist and possibly intensify over time. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $345 to fund a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy for Monny, which is scheduled to take place on May 19th. Surgeons will remove her tonsils and adenoids, hopefully relieving Monny of her symptoms and helping her live much more comfortably. Her mother said, “After the surgery, I hope my child will breathe and sleep better again, recover quickly, and be able to live happily and comfortably without pain or difficulty.”