Kenawaka is a playful and cheerful 15-month-old boy from Ethiopia, who enjoys spending time with his older sister. He lives with his parents and sister in a rented home. His father works as an accountant to support the family, while his mother is a homemaker. Kenawaka's mother first noticed that something was different when she took Kenawaka to the hospital for circumcision. After examining him, the doctor told them that he would need specialized assessment and treatment, and referred them to a public referral hospital in the capital city. Following the referral, Kenawaka's parents waited another year due to a long surgical wait list. Though they were increasingly anxious, they could not afford care in a private facility so they continued hoping that they would be attended to soon. Recently, the referral hospital informed Kenawaka's parents to bring him to our medical partner's care center, BethanyKids Myungsung Christian Medical Centre (BKMCM). Kenawaka was diagnosed with hypospadias, a condition that causes urinary dysfunction. Without treatment, he will continue to experience uncomfortable symptoms and will be at risk of future complications. Fortunately, Kenawaka is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on September 25th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,293 to cover the cost of his procedure and care. Kenawaka's father said, “Thank you so much to everyone at BethanyKids. We are truly grateful to all the staff for their kindness and care. Everyone has treated us with so much respect and made us feel comfortable throughout this journey. We are very happy and thankful for the support Kenawaka has received. We love our son so much, and our greatest wish is to see him healthy and happy after his surgery.”

Say is a 68-year-old woman from Kampong Thom, Cambodia. She used to work as a farmer, but she has now stopped due to her age. She is a widow; her husband passed away from malaria about 30 years ago. Say has three sons, one daughter, and six grandchildren. She currently lives with her youngest daughter, who is a farmer and grows rice. In her free time, Say enjoys listening to the radio and hearing monks' prayers. About two years ago, Say developed a cataract in her left eye, causing her 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 not able to go places on her own. When Say learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On June 25th, 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. Now, she needs help to fund this $263 procedure. Say said, "I hope that after my surgery, my eyesight will improve so that I can recognize my relatives more easily, participate in ceremonies, and carry out my household chores more effectively."

Mesa is 10 years old and a Grade 4 student from Cambodia. He lives with his parents and younger brother in Kompong Spue Province. His parents run a small shop where they take photos for students and print documents. He enjoys math at school, looks after his younger brother, and plays football with friends in his village. His favorite meal is lemongrass sour soup with eggs. When Mesa was one year old, he was burned by hot water, causing an injury to his left hand. He received a skin graft to the back of his hand at a governmental hospital, followed by a release of the fourth web space about a year later. He has since developed burn scar contractures between the second, third, and fourth fingers. The scars between his fingers restrict the spaces between them and make it difficult for him to fully straighten his left-hand fingers. He sometimes struggles to hold objects, and the appearance of his hand makes him feel shy around other people. Mesa's family learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, and sought treatment. On September 15th, surgeons at CSC will perform a burn contracture release surgery to help open the tight spaces between his fingers and improve the movement of his left hand, making it easier for him to straighten his fingers and hold things. Now, he needs help to fund this $652 procedure. Mesa's father said, “I hope this surgery will help my son straighten his fingers and use his left hand more easily when holding things. I also hope that as his hand improves, he will feel less shy and more confident around other people.”