Amina is a 11-year-old girl from Musoma region in Tanzania, the seventh child in a family of ten siblings. Her parents are small-scale farmers who rely solely on their harvest for sustenance and income generation. They often struggle to meet their needs, and climate change has resulted in poor harvests over the past year. About a year ago, Amina developed a swelling on her chin. Initially, it was considered insignificant as it did not bother her, but over time, the swelling grew larger and began to cause her significant discomfort when she was eating. This prompted concerns from her parents, who initially sought advice from a nearby pharmacy. However, the cream provided proved ineffective. Consequently, the family took her to a nearby hospital, where she was diagnosed with a mass requiring surgical removal. Due to financial constraints, her parents could not afford Amina's treatment so they went back home. Sometime later, the outreach team of our medical partner's care center visited their village, and the family was directed to Kafika House for further review and treatment. The team also assisted the family with transportation costs as they could not afford it. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Amina receive treatment. On April 2nd, surgeons will remove the mass and ease Amina's symptoms. Now, Amina's family needs help to fund this $724 procedure. Amina's mother says: “Please help with my daughter’s treatment. I hope she recovers from this condition so that it won’t be a problem as she grows older.”

Diana and her husband Isaya just welcomed twins! Their family lives in the Arusha region of Tanzania. Diana works in the home, managing the household and caring for their children, while Isaya works diligently on their farm to provide food. In addition to farming, Isaya does daily work to supplement their income. After welcoming their twins, they are working hard to try to provide them with everything they need. Both babies were born with clubfoot. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This condition causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes as they grow. Fortunately, their family traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, Kafika House. There, the team will begin clubfoot treatment for both of their newborns on February 20th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $935 to fund the clubfoot repair. After treatment, he will be able to walk easily and wear shoes when he gets older. Diana Says, “I hope both my children will grow up with no disability.”

Marise is a 13-year-old student, living in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, with her parents and four siblings. Marise has a cardiac condition called congenital aortic valve stenosis. As a result of this condition, one of the four valves in Marise's heart is much narrower than it should be, making her heart strain to push blood through the valve. This leaves Marise weak, and unable to participate in physical activities. The care she needs is not available in Haiti so Marise will fly to the Dominican Republic, where on February 9th, she will undergo surgery at Hospital CEDIMAT, during which her valve will be repaired. While another organization is helping to support the cost of Marise's surgery, our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, is seeking $1,500 to cover her care costs including pre and post operative medical care, and travel expenses for Marise's family, and the social worker who will accompany them for her surgery. Marise shared: "I am looking forward to being able to stop worrying about my heart after surgery."