Veasna is a happy 4-year-old who loves soccer, cars, and watching cartoons on his mom's phone! His parents work in clothing factories supplying major global retailers, and while they are at work, Veasna's grandparents and family neighbors help care for him. About two years ago, Veasna burned his left hand in an accident. Since then, burn scar contractures have developed, tightening the skin around the fingers. When Veasna's parents learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), they traveled for two hours seeking treatment. On February 6th, surgeons at CSC will perform a burn contracture release surgery to improve the functioning of Veasna's hand by releasing the scar tissue on three of his fingers. CSC is requesting $495 to fund this procedure and Veasna's family contributed $100 to his care. Veasna shared, "I hope I can use my hand more easily and play with my toys."

Brenda, who is 24 years old, lives in Uganda with her husband and niece. While she once worked at a local brewery, she now does small scale farming, which provides food for the table, but no income. Her husband is a contractor, who also has a grocery store. Brenda is currently expecting a new baby. Her first pregnancy did not produce a live birth, and because she delivered via a Caesarean section the first time, her doctors are strongly recommending another C-section for the upcoming birth, to ensure the safety of both Brenda and the baby. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Brenda undergo a C-section on December 12th, at Uganda Martyr's Ibanda Hospital. This procedure will cost $207, and Brenda needs your support. Brenda says: "I have high hopes that my surgery will be successful and I will be able to have a live baby and get rid of the scar pain. This time after the surgery, I will have enough rest and later resume my daily activities. My second plan is to join an institution and get skills in hairdressing.’’

Janet is a small-scale farmer from Uganda. She completed her education up to the primary level but had to withdraw due to lack of school fees. She got married at the age of sixteen and together with her husband, they have seven children. The family has a small piece of land that Janet and her husband cultivate. Their earnings from this are very modest and unfortunately some of their children have had to drop out of school due to financial constraints. Ten months ago, Janet started experiencing some troubling symptoms, including severe abdominal pains. She was diagnosed with a large irregular intra-peritoneal cystic mass. She has been experiencing great discomfort which has deteriorated her health and has directly impacted their family income. Physicians recommended a laparotomy, which is a surgery that opens up the abdominal cavity to treat her condition. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $279 to fund Janet's treatment. On March 7th, she will undergo surgery at Uganda Martyr's Ibanda Hospital. Once completed, this procedure will greatly improve her quality of life. Janet says, "I was already worried about how we shall raise the hospital funds but to my surprise, God already had a plan for us. I have high hopes of having a successful surgery, and I know everything will move on smoothly. I will be able to resume my usual activities of farming, and my children will be able to go back to school and complete their studies.’’