Barkot is a nine-year-old boy from Ethiopia. He is in the second grade at school, and lives with his parents and brother. His mother is a police officer, and his father is a driver. Since birth, Barkot has suffered from persistent tonsillitis. The condition has been causing him pain and discomfort, difficulty in sleeping at night and snoring. This has worried his parents, especially since they both hold demanding jobs and it's challenging to have them stay home when he is sick. Additionally, frequent school absences have become a major barrier to both his academic progress and social development. Barkot was recently brought to our medical partner, Saglan Wajee General Hospital, and diagnosed with enlarged tonsils, which, if not treated, will cause his symptoms to persist and possibly intensify over time. His family is seeking $700 to fund a tonsillectomy for Barkot, which is scheduled to take place on June 6th. Surgeons will remove his tonsils, hopefully relieving Barkot of his symptoms and helping him live more comfortably. "We are fully committed to getting him healthier, to ensure that he consistently attends school and achieves academic growth," said Barkot's parents.

Srey Nich is an 18-year-old student from Cambodia. She lives with her grandmother, a retired rice farmer, and her younger sister, who is in Grade 2. Her parents divorced five years ago, and her mother works as a factory worker to support the family. In her free time, she enjoys listening to music. She is currently studying in Grade 12 and hopes to continue her education. Srey Nich was born with distal arthrogryposis, a congenital condition that causes stiffness and deformities in the joints of her hands and feet. She previously underwent surgery on her left hand at our medical partner's care center, the Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), to improve its function. Although the surgery helped, the remaining hardware now causes occasional pain and needs to be removed. On August 6th, Srey Nich will undergo a hardware removal procedure, which will help improve the stability and comfort as she uses her hand. It will allow her to use her hands more easily for studying and everyday activities. Her family can contribute $10, but needs help raising $368 more to fund her procedure and care. Srey Nich said, “I hope it will feel more comfortable after the hardware is removed so I can use my hand more easily for writing, studying, and all that I do everyday.”

Bunnan is a 53-year-old vegetable seller from Phnom Penh. He is married and has three sons and one grandchildren. He lives with his wife who is also a vegetable seller, his first son, who unfortunately has mental challenges, and his youngest son who is a student. In his free time, Bunnan likes to go for walks. About two years ago, Bunnan developed a cataract in his right eye, causing him 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. He has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so is not able to go places on his own. When Bunnan learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for an hour seeking treatment. On October 19th, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery, and an intraocular lens implant in his right eye. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. Bunnan is contributing towards the cost of his treatment, but needs help raising an additional $238 for the procedure. He says: "I hope that after surgery my eye can see better, so I can easily go back to selling vegetables, and won't have to worry about my eye anymore."