Imani is a 4-year-old boy from Tanzania. His family resides in Karatu, a small district located in the Arusha region. He is the second born among three children. His mother, a farmer, takes care of him and his siblings with the invaluable assistance of his grandfather. He has recently started school and enjoys spending time with his new friends there. His fmaily hopes that he can continue with school and do well there as he grows. One of his favorite activities is his art class, where he already likes to draw and paint. Imani was diagnosed with genu varus, also known as bow legs. This condition may present from infancy through adulthood and has a wide variety of causes including excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, which often stems from contaminated drinking water. It causes lateral knee thrusting and a waddling gait. It can also impact his hips and ankles as the condition continues to worsen. As a result, he cannot walk and play like his friends and other students. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), was able to create a treatment plan for Imani. The procedure is scheduled to take place on August 1st. Treatment will hopefully restore Imani's mobility, allowing him to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease his risk of future complications. AMH is requesting $880 to help fund corrective surgery for Imani. Imani’s mother says: “I wish for my son to be able to walk and play without falling repeatedly. I have high hopes that this treatment will significantly improve his life and bring about positive changes for him.”

Peace is an 80-year-old farmer facing difficulties maintaining a comfortable life in the wake of a debilitating gynecological condition. For two years, Peace has suffered from a protrusion that has left her fatigued, in constant pain, and with other worrying issues. Peace has been widowed for 33 years and had 6 children; sadly, 2 of her children have passed away. The living 4 are married, self-employed, and unable to provide full-time care for their mother. Due to the sensitive nature of her condition, Peace faces ostracization in her community and is unable to find a caregiver. Previously, Peace worked on a farm to support herself, but has been unable to farm since the onset of her symptoms, leaving her in a tenuous financial state. If left untreated, Peace's persistent symptoms will continue to make her life exceedingly challenging. She has been unable to seek treatment at a hospital due to the financial burden, relying instead on painkillers from a clinic to alleviate her discomfort. Peace earnestly requests your support to raise $243 for surgery, which will improve her overall quality of life. Peace says, “I have been battling with this condition for quite long; I do request for any possible support to restore my health to enable me to get back to farming.”

Veasna is a 23-year-old construction worker. He is originally from Kampong Cham province, however, both of Veasna's parents work in construction and he has spent his life moving between provinces every few years based on new work sites. Veasna, his brother, and his sister all stopped attending school in fourth grade due to a lack of funds for school fees and materials and now also work in construction. In his free time, Veasna enjoys playing volleyball with his friends. For the last three years, Veasna has been experiencing difficulty breathing, painful throat inflammation, fevers, headaches, and trouble sleeping. Frequent illness causes him to miss his work and he often feels weak. Veasna was recently diagnosed with enlarged tonsils and adenoids, which, if not treated, will cause his symptoms to persist and possibly intensify over time. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $265 to fund a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy for Veasna. During his surgery, surgeons will remove Veasna's tonsils and adenoids, hopefully relieving him of his symptoms and helping him live much more comfortably. His surgery is scheduled for June 1st. Veasna hopes that he can have surgery to improve his sleeping, breathing, and his ability to work without frequently taking sick days.