Sovan is a 62-year-old grandmother. She has 3 sons and 5 grandchildren that visit her often. Sadly, her husband passed away due to liver cancer 7 months ago. For the last several decades, she has earned a small living selling groceries from a stall in the front of her house. When not busy working, she likes spending time with her grandchildren and watching the local news. Three years ago, Sovan developed a cataract in her left eye, causing her itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. 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 Sovan learned about our medical partner Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), she traveled there hoping for treatment. On September 4th, 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. Sovan is able to contribute towards the cost of the surgery, but needs help raising $253 to fund the procedure. She shared, "I hope after surgery my eye can see better and I can see my family and customers."

23-year-old Josephine and her two siblings live with their mother in Kenya and participate in small-scale farming for home consumption. Josephine has no source of income but is hoping to pursue a course in hairdressing. On April 16th, 2022, while planting corn on their farm, Josephine slipped and plunged into a hole she hadn't seen. She sustained a fracture in her right leg and surgery was performed to stabilize the bone and help the fracture heal. Two months after the surgery, Josephine started noticing pus accumulating in the affected area. She returned to the hospital and was treated, but her condition did not improve. In October 2022, doctors noted that the hardware that had been placed in Josephine's leg to stabilize the bone had actually caused an infection. Despite the removal of the hardware, the infection has persisted. Josephine has a large mid-diaphyseal sequestrum. This means that her femur bone is infected. As a result, she is unable to use her right leg to walk. If left untreated, the infection can spread, and potentially result in an amputation. With the assistance of our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, Josephine has been scheduled for a Right Femur Sequestrectomy and Exfix to clear the infection and strengthen the bone, allowing it to heal completely. The surgery, which will take place at AIC Kijabe Hospital on April 17th, will enable Josephine to walk easily again so that she can farm and pursue the course in hairdressing. She and her family need your help to raise the $1,500 to fund her treatment. Josephine says, “I want to go to college and do a course in hairdressing. I am unable to pursue this dream since I have a broken bone that needs to be attended to.”

Lopiro is a 15-year-old boy from Tanzania. His father is a livestock keeper who has two wives, which is common in their culture, and six children. Due to their remote location, Lopiro has been unable to attend school. He has been living with thoracic kyphoscoliosis and bilateral genu valgus for the past five years, which has severely impacted his mobility and prevented him from participating in community activities. Bilateral genu valgus means that his legs bow inwards. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, which often stems from contaminated drinking water. As a result, It is difficult for him to walk long distances and experiences considerable discomfort due to the abnormal gait he has developed. Our medical partner African Mission Healthcare (AMH) is requesting $880 to fund corrective surgery scheduled on June 27th. Treatment will hopefully restore Lopiro's mobility, allow him to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease his risk of future complications. Lopiro says, "My legs have been causing me a lot of pain when I try to help at home. I hope this treatment will reduce the discomfort I feel when I walk."