Farah is 53 years old and a father of eight from Ethiopia. He lives with his family in a refugee camp in Turkana after fleeing instability in search of safety. Despite difficult conditions, he has worked hard to support and care for his family. Last year, Farah fractured his left leg after slipping during heavy rains that flooded the camp. More recently, he was injured again while trying to avoid a motorbike, resulting in a fracture of his right leg. He is now in pain and unable to move freely, leaving him unable to care for his family. Fortunately, on April 17th, surgeons at our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, will perform surgery to repair his fracture. Farah is raising $1,500 to fund the procedure, which will relieve his pain and help him regain mobility. Farah said, “I am unable to walk, and even sitting for long is exhausting. I long to get better and be able to stand and walk again.”

Hervens is a 17-year-old high-school student from Haiti. He lives in a neighborhood of Port-au-Prince with his parents, four brothers, and two sisters. His parents are both small-scale vendors. Hervens is in his second year of high school and likes art and literature. Hervens has a cardiac condition called atrial septal defect. A hole exists between the two upper chambers of his heart; blood leaks through this hole, leaving him weak and short of breath. Hervens needs fly to the Dominican Republic to receive treatment. On June 23rd, he will undergo heart surgery, during which doctors will sew a patch over the hole so that blood can no longer leak through it. Another organization is contributing to pay for surgery. Hervens's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep. Our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, is requesting $1,500 to cover labs, medicines, and check-up and follow-up appointments. It also supports securing travel documents for the family and travel costs for the social workers from our medical partner, who will accompany Hervens's family overseas. Hervens says: "I am looking forward to having more energy, and to being stronger after my surgery!"

Rathanak is a two-year-old toddler who lives in Cambodia with his parents and twin brother. His mother works long hours at a garment factory, and his father is a hairdresser who earns a small daily income. When his parents are at work, he and his twin are looked after by their grandmother. Rathanak enjoys eating fried egg and caramelized pork, and he loves playing with toys alongside his brother. Rathanak was born with polydactyly of his right hand, meaning that he has an extra thumb. This makes it difficult for him to grasp objects and interferes with his play. As he grows older, he has also started to feel shy and self-conscious because his hand looks different from those of other children. Fortunately, on February 25th, surgeons will perform a polydactyly repair procedure to remove the extra digit. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $379 to fund this procedure. After surgery, Rathanak is expected to have improved hand function and better coordination. The procedure will help him use his right hand more comfortably and confidently, allowing him to play, learn, and perform daily activities more easily. Rathanak's mother shares, “I hope that after the surgery my son can use his hand normally, and feel confident like other children. I don’t want him to feel shy or different anymore. I just want him to grow up happy and proud of himself.”