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.”

Oul is a 65-year-old rice farmer from Prey Veng province in Cambodia. He is married, and his wife is also a rice farmer. They have two daughters, one son, and seven grandchildren. Their children work in construction and garment factories. Oul's favorite hobbies are watching boxing on television and participating in ceremonies. About one year ago, Oul developed a cataract in his left eye, causing him to experience 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. He has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so he cannot go places on his own. When Oul learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On August 10th, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in his left eye. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. Oul contributed a $25 co-pay toward his care and needs assistance raising $238 more to fund his surgery. Oul shared his hopes that, after surgery, his vision will improve so he can easily return to growing rice, travel to distant places, and no longer worry about his eyes.

Kingsley is 11 years old and the oldest of two children from Malawi. He is in Primary 5 and dreams of becoming a doctor. His parents are farmers. Since birth, Kingsley has had a right inguinal hernia. Currently, symptoms such as abdominal pain, poor appetite, and swelling have significantly affected his performance at school. Fortunately, on September 9th, Kingsley will undergo hernia repair surgery at our medical partner's care center, Partners in Hope Medical Center. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $575 to fund Kingsley's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably and confidently. Kingsley's mother shared, "Kindly help my son get better so that he can have peace of mind." She looks forward to seeing her child happy again after surgery so he can achieve his dream of becoming a doctor.