PengEang is an 11-year-old student in grade four from Cambodia. He and his family come from Mondulkiri province, approximately five and a half hours from the capital of Phnom Penh. PengEang has one sister and two brothers. His father is a pepper farmer and his mother stays home to care for the children. PengEang enjoys mathematics and playing badminton. PengEang would like to be a policeman when he grows up. About a year ago, PengEang fell hard on a tile floor while playing with his brothers and fractured his left elbow. He had surgery with implants to stabilize the bones to heal the fracture. The fracture has healed, but PengEang still feels chronic low-level pain in his elbow. The hardware is uncomfortable and it is difficult for him to extend and flex his elbow. He would like the hardware removed. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. On April 2nd, PengEang will undergo a hardware removal procedure which will cost $304. The hardware removal will help him heal completely and complete the rehabilitation of his arm. PengEang's mother said, "We hope my son will no longer have pain, and he can be healthy after the metal is removed from his elbow."

Sotheara lives with her parents, two sisters, and one brother. Her parents are rice farmers, and she attends the local school with her siblings. Her favorite subject at school is Khmer and English language and she would like to be a nurse when she grows up. At home, she likes to play with her sister, exercise, and eat fried eggs and soup with rice. For the past several years, Sotheara's mom has noticed she occasionally has discharge from a small hole in the front of her left ear. Regularly she suffers from, pain, swelling, itching, headache, and fever, which prevents her from attending school. Her parents are unable to pay for medication from the pharmacy to provide temporary relief. ENT specialists at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, have diagnosed her with a chronic pre-auricular pit sinus infection. This is a small hole or cyst just above the ear canal that some children are born with. The hole marks a sinus tract under the skin that’s in the wrong place. Most people don’t realize they have a sinus pit until they have an infection. On February 20th, Sotheara will have surgery to remove the sinus tract, and her parents need $297 to cover the cost of the procedure. After surgery, Sotheara will no longer have frequent infections or drainage from her left ear. Sotheara said, "I hope I will have no more pain, and the hole in my ear will be closed. I do not want to miss school."

76-year-old Smaoh Bernado is a married man from Mpando Village in Mozambique. He has seven children, all of whom are married and in their respective homes. He lives with his wife and grandchildren. In the past, Smaoh was a farmer who grew maize for consumption and commercial purposes to support his family; however, due to his old age, he now depends on his children for support. Smaoh has been using a catheter for the past year as a result of his inability to pass urine. He experiences pain while attempting to pass urine and much discomfort from the catheter. He has been going to a local health center for regular catheter changes until he opted to seek additional evaluation and treatment at our medical partner's care center Nkhoma Hospital. Smaoh was diagnosed with enlarged prostate, and was scheduled for open prostatectomy surgery. His family is unable to cover the complete expenses of the procedure. If left untreated, he may have recurrent urinary tract infections, and he may have to live with the catheter. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Smaoh receive treatment. On March 12th, surgeons at Nkhoma Hospital will perform open prostatectomy surgery which will relieve him of the pain. Now, Smaoh needs help to fund this $530 procedure. Smaoh says, “I look forward to returning home free from this condition.”