Richard is a ten-month-old baby boy from Haiti. His father is a motorcycle driver and his mother is a vendor. Richard was born with a heart condition called ventricular septal defect and patent ductus arteriosus, where a hole exists between the two lower chambers of his heart and a second hole exists between two major blood vessels next to his heart. Blood leaks through these holes, leaving him weak and unable to gain weight. Richard will fly to the Dominican Republic to receive treatment and will undergo heart surgery on May 3rd. During the procedure, surgeons will close the two holes so blood can no longer leak. Another organization, Gift of Life International, is contributing $5000.00 to pay for the surgery. However, Richard's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery preparations and travel. Our partner, International Cardiac Alliance, requests $1,500 to cover labs, medicines, and doctors' appointments. It also supports securing passports and travel documents for the social workers who will accompany Richard's family overseas. Richard's mother says, "Our family is praying that the surgery goes well so that our son will grow strong and healthy."

Jayden is a three-year-old boy from Tanzania. He is the second born in a family of two children. Jayden's father is currently attending welding classes and relies on casual employment to make ends meet, while his mother also earns income through casual work. Jayden was diagnosed with bilateral genu varus or bow legs. When he began standing on his own; his legs showed a noticeable bow outward. The condition worsened as he grew older, prompting them to seek medical attention. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, which often stems from contaminated drinking water. As a result, Jaden experiences difficulty walking, expending a great deal of energy, and often crying after walking for a while. Recently, while listening to the radio, they learned about Kafika House, which prompted them to seek consultation. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $880 to fund corrective surgery and treatment for Jayden at their care center Kafika House. The procedure is scheduled to take place on April 5th. Treatment will hopefully restore Jayden's mobility, allow him to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease his risk of future complications. Jayden’s mother says, “Please help my son. I hope he gets treatment and grows up to be successful.”

Shinka is a 6-year-old boy from Kenya. He is the last born in a family of seven children. His father, who was the sole breadwinner of the family passed away in 2017 after a short illness. To provide for the family, the eldest son, who finished his high school studies last year, sells milk to earn some money. Sometimes the earnings are not much, and they have to rely on family members for financial support. The family does not have medical coverage and is not able to raise the money needed to pay for Shinka's surgery. In May of last year, Shinka started experiencing some difficulty when passing urine. At some point, he had stopped going to school for a few weeks. His mother shared Shinka's condition with his uncle who took him to a local health center for review. Shinka was examined and referred to our facility. When he came with his uncle for examination, doctors were able to diagnose his condition and also found a condition called cryptorchidism that first requires a bilateral orchidopexy surgery. If left untreated, Shinka has an increased risk of developing hernias, testicular cancer, and fertility problems in the future. Shinka will be receiving assistance from our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH). Fortunately, he is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on January 11th. AMHF is requesting $646 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. Shinka’s uncle says, “We are very much worried as a family about Shinka’s condition. His studies are affected, and we want him to go back to school as soon as possible.”