Sandi is a young monk from Burma. He lives alongside his fellow novices and monks in a monastery. As a novice, Sandi does not have a personal income, but his family support him and the monastery provides him with food and shelter. In his free time, Sandi enjoys listening to the Dhamma. In February 2022, Sandi began experiencing blurred vision in both eyes. A CT scan revealed a cystic lesion in his brain, indicating a fluid-filled tumor, craniopharyngioma. Sandi experiences significant blurred vision in both eyes, occasional headaches and dizziness, and pain at the nape of his neck. Due to his poor vision, he cannot read books and cannot walk without assistance. Sandi sought treatment through our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund. He is now scheduled to undergo mass removal surgery on January 10th. Our partner is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. Sandi said, "I want to express my gratitude to BCMF and donors for helping me. I would love to request continued assistance throughout my entire treatment. My desire is to fully recover my vision. Once I recover, I aspire to dedicate myself to studying and trying to become a monk."

Meet Tichheang, a 13-year-old, second-grade student from Cambodia. His parents work as farmers, cultivating rice and cashews. His favorite subjects in school are Khmer and Sociology, and he loves playing the drums with his dad and playing soccer with his friends in his free time. When Tichheang grows up, he dreams of becoming a drummer! Around five years ago, Tichheang developed an ear infection. This infection caused a cholesteatoma, or an abnormal skin growth, to develop in the middle ear behind the ear drum. As a result, Tichheang experiences ear pain accompanied by fever, ear drainage, headaches, and weakened hearing on the right side. It is very difficult for Tichheang to communicate at school due to this condition. He is also often absent from class due to his symptoms. Tichheang's family traveled to our medical partner's care center for treatment. On April 9th, Tichheang will undergo a mastoidectomy procedure in his right ear. During this procedure, ENT surgeons will remove the cholesteatoma. Tichheang and his family are able to contribute $100 towards the cost of his treatment and need help raising $926 more to fund this procedure, which covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care. His mother shared: "I want to see my son in good health and able to communicate more easily."

76-year-old Moyenda hails from a village in Lilongwe District. He has 12 children of whom 3 are in school and the rest are married in their respective homes. Moyenda had to leave primary school when he was young, therefore he could not secure a good job and support his family. He depends on farming where he grows maize for consumption and sweet potatoes for commercial purposes. For one year, Moyenda has been experiencing a painful swelling in a sensitive area. The swelling disappears after a while, and it is accompanied by abdominal pain and vomiting. He has been visiting different health centers where he was given drugs to no avail until he was advised to visit Nkhoma Hospital for further assessment. Moyenda was diagnosed with a left inguinal hernia, and he was scheduled to undergo hernia repair surgery. However, he cannot afford the cost although he wishes to undergo surgery. This condition has had a negative impact on Moyenda’s life as he feels abdominal pain when the swelling appears, and he cannot do his farming activities. If the condition is left untreated, it may lead to strangulation which can be life-threatening. Treatment will relieve him of the pain and he will be able to focus on his farm without any hindrances from the condition. Moyenda is scheduled for hernia repair surgery February 13th. Our medical partner African Mission Healthcare is requesting $500 to fund surgery, medications, and medical care. Moyenda says, “I would love to be free of this condition for good.”