Julius is a 16-year-old teenager from Kenya. He is known as a friendly boy from Matungu village in Kakamega County. Julius is in grade 8 at Lung'anyiro Primary School. His mother passed away while giving birth to him, so he has been raised by his grandmother, who is a farmer. Julius has clubfoot of his left foot. He had a healthy birth, but at the age of four, his grandmother noticed a sudden bend in his left foot. He began to limp and tiptoe while walking. They took him to a nearby hospital, but due to financial constraints, they couldn't continue with the follow-up treatment. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, Julius traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, AIC Cure International Hospital. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on July 18. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,286 to fund Julius's clubfoot repair. After treatment, he will be able to walk well and continue with his studies uninterrupted. He dreams of becoming a doctor in the future so he can help other children. His current situation fuels his ambition to make a difference in the lives of others. "I am looking forward to healing quickly, putting on shoes, walking, running, and playing football like my friends," Julius said.

Ashley is a three-year-old boy from Malawi. He is an only child and lives with his single mother. Ashley's mother sold second hand clothes to support their family, but is no longer able to continue to run her business. Fortunately, Ashley's aunt is able to help support their family during this time. Ashley enjoys eating chicken and chips. Ashley started experiencing pains and frequent episodes of swelling around the umbilical area. Ashley's mother bought various pain medications but was never able to bring him to the hospital. In May this year, Ashley finally went to our medical partner's care center where he was diagnosed with a reducible umbilical hernia, a condition where the intestines protrude through the abdominal muscles by the belly button. On June 4th, Ashley will undergo hernia repair surgery at Partners in Hope Medical Center. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $575 to fund the remaining cost of Ashley's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably and confidently. Ashley's mother said, “I can’t wait to see my child well again after surgery.”

Benard is a 37-year-old husband and father from Uganda. He and his wife have two children. Benard completed school up to primary class seven before having to leave school and work due to a lack of school fees. He and his wife are small-scale farmers, but Benard has been unable to work lately due to his condition. The crops they harvest are for his family's food consumption. For seven years, Benard has had a hernia that causes him to experience severe pain. He had used local herbs to try and manage the pain, but there was no improvement. Benard was later referred to Ibanda Hospital, where the doctors ordered an ultrasound scan. As he could not pay for surgery at the time, he received treatment to help relieve the pain while Benard sought options. Fortunately, on his discharge papers from the hospital, Benard was given the hospital administrator's phone number. He was able to connect with the administrator and return to to the hospital for immediate review, as he was getting weaker from the pain. On June 27th, he will undergo repair surgery that will allow him to live more comfortably. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $201 to fund Benard's surgery. Benard said: "I am very happy for the warm welcome. I know my surgery will be successful, and I will be able to continue with farming."