Aisan is a one-month-old baby boy from Tanzania. He is the youngest of two children. His parents are farmers who grow maize for household consumption and sell the surplus at the local market to earn income and meet their family’s needs. Aisan was born with clubfoot on both feet, a condition in which both feet are twisted inward. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. The tissues connecting the muscles to the bones are shorter than usual, and this causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. His parents were concerned about his condition and the challenges he might face in the future. Aisan is scheduled to begin treatment through manipulation and serial casting. He will subsequently undergo a tenotomy procedure to help improve foot alignment. Through this treatment, Aisan will have an opportunity to develop with properly aligned feet, allowing him to wear shoes and walk comfortably as he grows. Fortunately, Aisan's family traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, Kafika House. Surgeons will begin clubfoot treatment on October 28th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $341 to fund Aisan's clubfoot repair. After treatment, he will have a better chance to enjoy childhood activities and pursue his dreams without the limitations associated with untreated clubfoot. “We are grateful that Aisan was identified early and given a chance for treatment. We hope he will grow up healthy and walk comfortably like other children,” says Aisan's mother.

Phan, who is 76 years old, is a retired rice farmer from Prey Veng province, Cambodia. He is married and has one son, three daughters, and seven grandchildren. He lives with his wife, who is also a retired rice farmer. About three years ago, Phan developed a cataract in his left eye, which causes him to experience itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. A cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye, so it is like looking through a frosty or fogged-up window. He has difficulty seeing things clearly and is reluctant to go out on his own. When Phan learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for three hours to seek treatment. On July 14th, doctors at our medical partner's care center, Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre, will perform a phacoemulsification cataract surgery on Phan, during which an intraocular lens will be implanted in his left eye. After he has recovered, Phan will be able to see clearly. Now, he needs your help to fund this $263 procedure. Phan said: "I hope after surgery my eye can see better, so that I can easily recognize my relatives, and go places without having to worry about my eye anymore."

Elifa is a small business owner from Malawi. She is 41 years old and a mother of six children. Together with her husband, she relies on vegetable farming to support their family and provide for their children's needs. For 24 years, Elifa has had an incisional hernia. In 2002, after giving birth to her first child by Caesarean section, she began experiencing severe pain around the surgical incision. For many years, she managed the pain with painkillers and continued with her daily responsibilities despite the discomfort. Over time, she developed a mass around the incision site, which caused ongoing discomfort and gradually became part of her daily life. This year, however, her condition became much more difficult to manage. For about a month, Elifa experienced severe pain from the mass, prompting her to seek medical attention. She was referred to our medical partner's care center, Nkhoma Hospital, for specialized treatment. Fortunately, on October 7th, Elifa will undergo hernia repair with mesh surgery, and our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $500 to fund Elifa's surgery and care. Elifa said, "I am thankful that I have finally been referred to Nkhoma, but the cost of surgery is more than my family can afford. I am asking for help so that I can have this surgery, recover well, and return to my family and my work without the pain I have carried for so long. I will be deeply grateful to everyone willing to support me.”