Benjamin is a six-year-old boy from Tanzania. He is the third-born in a family of three children, and lives with his parents, whose livelihoods depend on small-scale business activities to sustain their household. Benjamin's family describes him as a bright and curious child, who enjoys learning and playing with other children in the community. Benjamin has been diagnosed with bilateral genu varus or "bow legs," a condition where the knees curve outward while the feet and ankles touch. Several factors could cause this condition, such as growth disorders, vitamin deficiencies, or excessive fluoride found in contaminated drinking water. As a result, the knees can be angled inwards or outwards, making it difficult to walk, and potentially causing long-term joint damage. The condition has affected Benjamin's posture and mobility, making prolonged standing and walking increasingly difficult. Without treatment, the condition could continue to worsen as he grows, potentially limiting his movement and participation in school and daily activities. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $810 to fund treatment for Benjamin. The procedure is scheduled to take place on March 24th at our medical partner's care center, Kafika House. Treatment will hopefully restore Benjamin's mobility, allowing him to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decreasing his risk of future complications. Benjamin's father said: "I wish for his legs to be strong, so that he can walk independently with his friends to school, without us worrying about his well-being."

Stanley is a 64-year-old father of four from Malawi. To provide income for his family, Stanley works as a car sales representative and at a local motorcycle shop, though he admits that his income is often insufficient to fully support them. For the past six months, Stanley has been experiencing abdominal swelling and discomfort. At first, the symptoms were subtle, but over the last two weeks they have become more severe, leaving him with increasing pain and difficulty in walking. This has made both work and home life very challenging. Stanley has been diagnosed with a bilateral inguinal hernia, a condition that occurs when abdominal tissue protrudes through a weak spot in the lower abdominal muscles. Stanley needs a hernia repair procedure, but with his current income, he cannot afford the cost of surgery. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Stanley undergo hernia repair surgery on April 20th. This procedure will cost $500, and Stanley needs your support to fund the procedure. Stanley said, “I am struggling with this condition, which has made my life very difficult. I wish to be able to work and provide for my family again, without pain. I truly hope I can receive support, because I cannot manage raising the funds on my own.”

Hillary is a 28-year-old man from Kenya, full of determination and hope despite the many challenges he has faced. He completed school until the fourth grade, and he dreams of continuing his education and building a better future for himself and his family. He currently works as a farmer, growing maize, beans, and seasonal potatoes on a modest plot of land. Though hardworking, his income is minimal. He lives with his parents and contributes what he can to help support his siblings’ education. Tragedy struck on February 21st, when Hillary was involved in a road traffic accident. He was riding a motorcycle that lost control and collided with another motorcycle. He was taken to the hospital and was found to have multiple serious injuries, including a deep laceration to his forehead, wounds to his knee and thigh, and significant trauma to his left leg. Imaging revealed a fractured jaw and a distal femur fracture. Due to the severity of his injuries, Hillary was urgently taken to the operating room, where he underwent irrigation and debridement of the wounds and was placed in a long-leg posterior splint for support. He later underwent a second procedure to stabilize his femur with an external fixator. His jaw was also surgically repaired using arch bars and open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF), restoring the structure of his face. During recovery, Hillary has remained resilient. He has followed strict precautions, including non-weight-bearing movement and a liquid diet. He is now able to move with crutches, though his mobility remains limited, and his ability to speak and smile is still affected by the jaw fixation. Hillary has returned to the hospital for the next stage of his care: removal of the external fixator and complete surgical repair of his femur to restore function fully. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner care center can help. On April 2nd, Hillary will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation, to restore stability and function to his leg. To make this possible, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,014 is needed to fund his surgery. Hillary says, "I thank God for this far towards my recovery, please assist me, and looking forward to complete healing. I will go back to school, and I promise to help others too in the near future."