Merge is a 3 year-old child from Ethiopia. She is a beautiful young girl who loves to play with toys and her brothers. She loves to wear new clothes and shoes - her dad shared that she is always asking for new clothes and shoes. Merge loves being around people. Her dad is a farmer with a large family, his older children out of the house and living their own lives. Seven children are still with their parents. Her mom spends her day taking care of her child, collecting firewood from the woods, and pouring water from a long distance from a manual well. She carries the water jar and the sticks on her back. They harvest once a year. Their income is limited to sustain the needs of their household. Merge was born with anorectal malformation and she was referred to Addis Ababa referral hospital and underwent two surgeries. But now she developed an incisional hernia. Fortunately, on February 9th, she will undergo hernia repair surgery at our medical partner's care center. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $512 to fund Merge's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow her to live more comfortably and confidently as she grows. Merge's dad said, “I hope she will heal. That will make me happy. I will send her to school and I want her to become a doctor.”

Mikaeli is a 12-year-old boy. He is the oldest of three siblings in his family and a student. Unfortunately, he had to discontinue his studies due to mobility challenges caused by a congenital condition in his left foot. His father is struggling to find appropriate treatment for him, which is causing a lot of stress for the family. The condition causes an inward and downward twist in his left foot, and his parents are concerned about the potential implications on his future if left unaddressed. Mikaeli’s father, a farmer, serves as the primary breadwinner for their family of three children. Despite his efforts on the farm, the income generated from sales is insufficient to cover all their expenses. In response to this financial gap, the father takes on casual jobs to supplement their income. However, even with these combined efforts, the funds they currently generate are inadequate to meet the medical costs associated with their son’s condition. Fortunately, Mikaeli's family traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, Kafika House. There, the team will begin clubfoot treatment on December 29th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $935 to fund Mikaeli's clubfoot repair. After treatment, Mikaeli will eventually walk comfortably and wear regular shoes. Mikaeli’s father says: “I wish for my son's leg to be normal so that he can return to school and continue his education.”

Daliya is a single mother of 4 children. She farms and does some daily work when available to support her living. Daliya likes chatting with her mother and enjoys eating a local favorite called nsima served with pumpkin leaves. In 2016, Daliya started experiencing a feeling of heat on her left breast followed by a small lump that initially was not painful. Later in the year, she visited several nearby hospitals, but was not able to find any answers. In 2018, her lump grew and had become painful. Daliya visited Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH), where she was diagnosed with cancer. So far, Daliya has received 4 cycles of chemotherapy. Lately, Daliya has been experiencing needle-pricking pains, backache, and chest and abdominal pains. This has affected her ability to work. On February 2nd, Daliya reported to Partners in Hope Medical Center (PIH) where it was confirmed she will need a modified radical mastectomy. Dailya and her mother were able to pay $29.88 towards her treatment and need our help raising $1,194 to cover her care, which is scheduled for February 6th. Daliya believes that the surgical operation will help her get back home to join her family and continue supporting her children. She believes her children are the reason she lives and has to be in good health for their sake as a single mother. Daliya said, ‘Kindly help me to get better for me to go back home, my children need my support for them to go back to school.”