Margaret is a 59-year-old woman from Nairobi, Kenya. Margaret has two adult sons. Both were married but separated from their wives, leaving their children with Margaret. Margaret works as a domestic worker and sells boiled maize at the market to provide for her family. In 2013, Margaret developed a boil on the roof of her mouth. Despite seeking help at several hospitals, Margaret couldn’t afford the costs of scans and diagnosis. The boil continued to grow, affecting her teeth and speech, and causing her discomfort and pain. For the past eleven years, Margaret has endured this pain without treatment as she could not afford to seek help. In March 2024, our medical partner's care center, AIC Kijabe Hospital, conducted an outreach in the area where Margaret lives. During the free check-up, Margaret was advised to visit the main hospital for further diagnosis. However, she couldn’t afford the transportation costs and took four months to make the trip for a follow-up. In July 2024, doctors diagnosed Margaret with a hard palate mass that had extended from her palate up to her nose. Margaret needs a mass excision surgery to remove the growth before it causes further complications. On August 14th, Margaret will undergo surgery and our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,500 to fund the procedure. Margaret says, “I am stressed out, I keep on thinking this growth will affect me further and I will not be able to speak.”

Nita is a 13-year-old student from Cambodia. She is the second child in her family, with two sisters and a younger brother, all of whom are still in school. Her mother works in a shoe factory, and her father is a rice farmer. Nita is currently in 6th grade and enjoys her Mathematics class. She hopes to work on a farm like her father when she grows up. At home, Nita loves eating fried rice and spends her free time doing homework. In May 2019, Nita suffered a severe electric burn while playing at home. The burn affected both her hands and feet. Her left hand has scar contractures in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th fingers, while the first and second fingers on her right hand have scar adhesion and atrophy. It is hard for her to write at school, grip objects, and even feed herself due to the contractures in her hands and fingers. Nita's family learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, and sought treatment. On August 21st, our medical partner's staff will perform a burn contracture release surgery to address the contractures in her left hand. This procedure will release the tightness in her fingers, helping her use her hand more easily and improve her overall hand function. Her family is able to contribute $100 but needs help to raise $395 more to fund Nita's medical care. Nita shared, "After the surgery, I hope to recover quickly so I can go back to school."

John is a 41-year-old man from Kenya. He is married and has one child. John and his wife are not formally employed but engage in small-scale farming on their farm. He also does casual work at construction sites to help meet their financial needs. On the 20th of September, John was hit by a speeding motorcyclist while on his way home after a day’s work. The motorcyclist fled the scene and passers-by took John to a nearby health center, where first aid was administered. He was then referred to our medical partner's care center, Nazareth Hospital, for further management. An x-ray revealed an open fracture of the tibia in his left leg. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, can help. On October 3rd, John will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. The treatment will continue to alleviate the pain John is experiencing and also prevent malunion of the bones. Now, John needs your help to raise $1,048 to fund this procedure. John shared: “My family and I are not able to meet this cost and we are kindly requesting help so that the pain can be relieved, and my leg can be treated, get well, so that I can continue with my family responsibility."