Mao is a 70-year-old rice farmer from Preah Vihear province in Cambodia. In her free time, she enjoys listening to the monks pray on the radio. Mao is married and has two sons and four grandchildren. Her husband and youngest son are in the military, and her oldest son is a rice farmer. About one year ago, Mao developed a cataract in her left eye, causing her to experience itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. 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 she is unable to go places on her own. When Mao learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Center (CSC), she traveled for 8 hours seeking treatment. On April 6th, doctors will perform a phacoemulsification cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in her left eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Mao can contribute $25, but needs help raising $238 more to fund her procedure and care. Mao said, "I hope, after surgery, my eye can see clearly, I can come back to growing rice and doing housework well, and I won't worry about my eye anymore."

Samuel is a 27-year-old father of two from Kenya. He previously worked as a casual laborer at a milk processing company and was very committed to providing for his family. In 2019, a neighbor asked Samuel for help picking mangoes. He accidentally fell and sustained a spinal injury that led to paralysis. Over time, he was able to move around using a wheelchair, but he could not go back to work. His wife is now the family’s breadwinner, taking on any casual jobs available. On the 24th of January, 2026, Samuel accidentally fell from the bed and landed on his left leg, resulting in a closed fracture. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On February 16th, Samuel will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. This treatment will prevent complications such as nonunion of the bone, and his situation will become even more difficult, as he may remain permanently bedridden. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,048 to fund this procedure. Samuel shared, "I have waited, but my family is not able to pay the fee for this surgery. I would really appreciate it if helped, so that I can be operated. This will relieve my pain, and at least I can be well enough to move around rather than be in bed throughout."

Ketmada is a 17-year-old student from Haiti. She lives with her parents and three older siblings in a mountainous village in central Haiti. Her father is a school custodian, and her mother is a homemaker. She likes cosmetics and beauty care and would like to be a professional cosmetician one day. Ketmada has been diagnosed with a cardiac condition called rheumatic mitral regurgitation. One of the valves in her heart does not open and close properly due to an infection she suffered earlier in childhood, and as a result, her heart cannot adequately circulate blood through her body. Ketmada needs to fly to the Dominican Republic to receive treatment. On March 24th, Ketmada will undergo surgery, during which surgeons will attempt to repair the valve so that it functions more normally. If her valve cannot be repaired, the surgeons will instead remove it and implant an artificial replacement. While another organization, Mitral Foundation, is funding Ketmada's surgery, her family will also need help to fund the costs of her surgery prep. Our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, is requesting $1,500 to cover labs, medicines, and check-up and follow-up appointments. That amount will also support securing travel documents for her family and paying travel costs for the social workers who will accompany Ketmada's family overseas. Ketmada says joyfully, "I am very excited to have this surgery so that I can stop worrying so much about my heart!"