Sambath is a cheerful six-year-old boy from Cambodia. He lives with his three siblings and parents, who earn income by collecting plastic bottles for recycling. Two years ago, Sambath had an ear infection that caused the ear drums in his right and left ears to perforate. As a result, Sambath experiences ear discharge, hearing loss, and a history of snoring at night which has been exacerbated by an inflammation of the nose. His communication with others has been hampered, and he no longer attends school. Sambath and his mother traveled to our medical partner's care center to seek help for his condition. On March 20th, he will undergo a myringoplasty procedure to repair the eardrums on both of his ears, at Kien Khlang National Rehabilitation Centre. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $914 to cover medications, supplies, and inpatient care for the procedure. Sambath's mother says, "After surgery, I hope that Sambath will be able to speak more clearly, and that his hearing will improve. I would like for him to do well in school, and feel hopeful about the future."

Jojina, a single mother from Malawi, is 52 years old and has five children ranging in age from 15 to 29. They all live together in a two bedroom house, in addition to Jojina's mother, her uncle who is blind, and her four grandchildren. She earns a living by brewing and selling a local brew. Fifteen years ago, Jojina noted a small swelling on her neck that was not painful at the time. At first, she thought it would go away on its own, but it instead got bigger. She visited different herbalists to no avail. In 2022, she visited a nearby hospital, and was referred to the regional hospital, where after examinations, a diagnosis of goiter was made. She was sent home and asked to wait for her surgery date. Early this year, she started experiencing breathlessness and neck pain. She is presently unable to carry heavy items on her head and can no longer work as usual, which has significantly reduced her income. Jojina made a decision to visit our medical partner's care facility, Partners in Hope Medical Center (PIH), after hearing that other people with similar problems had been assisted at the center. Early this month, her diagnosis was confirmed at PIH and a surgical intervention called thyroidectomy was recommended. Jojina could however not afford the cost of treatment. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Jojina receive treatment. On April 9th, surgeons at PIH will perform a thyroidectomy to alleviate pain and discomfort, and allow Jojina to resume work and continue supporting her family. Now, Jojina needs help to fund this $1,015 procedure. Jojina says, “I am patiently waiting to be free from my symptoms, be able to work pain-free, and carry items on my head after surgery.”

Say is a 31-year-old woman who has lived with her family in a refugee camp for more than 10 years after fleeing the conflict in Burma. She is a homemaker who lives with her husband, elderly father, and three young children who are all attending school. The income for Say’s family comes from cash cards provided by an organisation in the refugee camp. Say’s husband works as a delivery driver outside the camp but he has been unable to work since December 2023 because Say’s father and eldest son have health issues that require support. Their monthly income is not enough to cover their living expenses and they sometimes need to borrow food before their cash card is refilled. Basic health care is provided by the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in the refugee camp free of charge, but not advanced care like Say needs. In 2022, Say began having pain, discomfort, and pressure in her abdomen. She was diagnosed with an ovarian cyst and has been advised to undergo a total abdominal hysterectomy which will remove her uterus and cervix. If left untreated, Say's symptoms will continue to worsen and put her at risk for further health complications. Say is scheduled to undergo a hysterectomy on February 22nd. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to cover the cost of her procedure and care. “I will look for a job as a nursery teacher in the camp, I used to do this before I had to stop. Thank you so much to the donors who are helping us pay for my surgery and thank you to BCMF. May you all be healthy, and God bless you,” shared Say.