Happiness's baby is a newborn who is barely two weeks old. Happiness and her husband, James, have been blessed with a new baby, expanding their family to two children. They reside in Morombo, located in the Arusha region of Tanzania. Happiness is a stay-at-home mother managing the household and caring for their children, while James works diligently on their farm to provide food and sells surplus harvests for additional income. In addition to farming, James seeks casual day jobs to supplement their finances, yet despite their efforts, they find their income insufficient to cover all expenses. At times, they struggle to afford medical bills, particularly when faced with a poor harvest, making providing adequate meals for the family challenging. Happiness's baby was born with clubfoot of both feet, causing his feet to twist inward and downward. Concerned for their son’s future, the parents sought advice from the attending doctor, who recommended seeking treatment, as the condition is treatable. They were referred to our medical partner's care center for help. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, Happiness traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, Kafika House. There, the team will begin clubfoot treatment on February 16th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $935 to fund Happiness's baby's clubfoot repair. After treatment and as he grows, the baby will be able to wear shoes and walk properly. Happiness says: “I want my baby to grow up with normal feet and never bear the burden of the condition he is born with.”

Ken is a retired rice farmer from Kampong Cham province. She is a strong 70-year-old widow who lost her husband to tuberculosis eight years ago. She has one daughter, three sons, and five grandchildren whom she loves dearly. After her husband passed away, she moved in with her youngest daughter, who now runs their rice farm. She enjoys listening to monks pray on the radio and finds comfort in visiting the pagoda regularly. About one year ago, Ken developed a cataract in her left eye, causing her itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. She often stays indoors for days at a time because she cannot tolerate the bright sun or see in low light. A cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye, so it is like looking through a frosty or fogged-up window. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so is not able to go places on her own. When Ken learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for three and a half hours seeking treatment. On May 2nd, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery, and an intraocular lens implant in her left eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Ken is able to contribute $100 towards the cost of her treatment, and needs help raising $153 more to fund the procedure. Ken says: "I hope that following the surgery, I will have good enough vision to grow some vegetables around my daughter's home. I look forward to being able to care for myself, and to help my daughter around the home."

Naw Paw is a 40 year-old woman who lives with her husband and her three daughters in a refugee camp in Mae Hong Province, Thailand. Naw Paw is originally from across the border in Karen State, Burma. Her family fled to the refugee camp in 2011 due to conflict happening between armed groups in her area. In the camp, Naw Paw’s family receives a cash card from the Border Consortium to purchase food. Naw Paw used to sell Mohhinga (a Burmese noodle) nearby school to cover for their basic needs. However, she stopped selling Mohhinga when she got this pregnant because she couldn’t handle the work well. Naw Paw’s family is struggling to make ends meet and feel lucky they receive free basic healthcare in the camp through Malteser International. Her husband is unemployed. All of her 3 children are students. During her free time, she loves to play with her children and listen to the music in her phone. Sometimes she will read books and help her daughters with their homework. Naw Paw is currently expecting her fourth child. Since Naw Paw got pregnant she is taking antenatal care regularly at the camp hospital. On January 18th, Naw Paw went back for the follow-up in the camp hospital and had an ultrasound which revealed that her baby is in the wrong position laying sideways and her doctors recommended that she deliver via a caesarean section. This way doctors can ensure the safety of both mother and child. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is helping Naw Paw undergo a C-section on January 29th. This procedure will cost $1,500, and Naw Paw's family needs your support. Naw Paw said, “After I deliver my baby and recover from surgical wound, I will sell the Mohhinga (Burmese noodle) again to cover more of the financial needs for our family.”