Ester is a 13-year-old student from Burma. She lives with her parents, her younger brother, and two younger sisters in a village in Karen State, Burma. Ester and her three younger siblings go to school while their parents are small-scale farmers. They also raise chickens and pigs, and they forage for vegetables in the forest for their own consumption. They also have a small garden where they grow betel nut trees, and they sell some of the betel nuts to earn a small income. Sometimes, Ester’s father also finds work as an agricultural day laborer. In her free time, Ester loves to help her mother with household chores and also play with her friends at school. She wants to become a teacher when she grows up. Ester was born with an atrial septal defect (ASD), a condition in which a hole exists between the two upper chambers of the heart. Sometimes ASDs may close on their own during development, but sometimes this condition requires surgery to repair the hole and prevent long-term damage to the heart and lungs. Ester is scheduled to undergo heart surgery on July 7th to correct her condition and improve her quality of life. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to help cover the cost of Ester's procedure and care. Ester's mother shared, "I would like to thank BCMF and your donors for your kindness and willingness to support my daughter. Without you, my daughter would not receive treatment as the cost is too high for us, and we cannot borrow such a large amount of money from our neighbours. On behalf of our family and our daughter, thank you to your donors and everyone willing to help my daughter.”

Israel is a teenager from Malawi. He is the third-born child in a family of four children and is currently in Primary 8. His mother works in South Africa and is separated from his father. Israel lives with his father, who is a primary school teacher. Since 2024, Israel has had a hydrocele, which is a swelling in a sensitive area. He has frequently been absent from school because of pain and discomfort, which have significantly affected his daily activities and placed an additional burden on his father. Surgery has been recommended, but due to the family's financial circumstances, they are now seeking support. His father hopes that the surgical intervention will transform his son's life by relieving his symptoms and enabling him to concentrate fully on his education and future aspirations. Fortunately, on October 20th, Israel will undergo hydrocele repair surgery at our medical partner's care center. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $627 to fund Israel's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably and confidently. "Kindly help my child get better so he can go back to school and concentrate," said Israel's father.

Beatrice is a 46-year-old woman from Malawi. She and her husband have three children. Beatrice sells second-hand clothes to support her family. Five years ago, Beatrice began bleeding profusely and started to experience abdominal pain. She was diagnosed with uterine fibroids and was told that she would need to undergo a hysterectomy. She was booked for surgery on numerous occasions, but the surgeries never took place. Finally, Beatrice was referred to our medical partner's care center, Partners in Hope Medical Center, where she is now scheduled to undergo a hysterectomy on June 8th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,363 to fund Beatrice's surgery. Beatrice now has hope that the surgical operation will save her life. She believes surgery will help her resume her business and continue being a responsible mother. "I have tried all that I could, but have failed to be considered for surgery in government hospitals; unfortunately, my business cannot support my surgery, but only my family upkeep. Since I am the breadwinner, you are my last hope to save my life," said Beatrice.