Joyce is a 14-year-old girl from Tanzania. She lives with her parents and four siblings in a pastoralist Maasai community. She is currently in Standard Six at a local primary school and is known by her teachers as a determined and respectful student. Joyce has been living with a severe extensor tendon contracture and burn scar contracture affecting her right hand and wrist. Over the years, the condition has gradually limited her ability to open her hand, extend her wrist, and use her fingers effectively. Despite these challenges, Joyce remains committed to being productive. She has adapted by using her left hand for writing and most school activities, which has slowed her work and made classroom tasks more difficult. At home, she participates in household chores, but tasks that require gripping, lifting, or two-handed coordination are hard for her. Simple activities like carrying water, washing clothes, or holding tools can be painful and frustrating. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Joyce receive treatment. On February 18th, surgeons will perform contracture release surgery and a skin graft to significantly improve her ability to write, care for herself, and participate fully in school and home life. Now, she needs help to fund this $832 procedure. Joyce says, “I try to do everything with my left hand, but it is slow and difficult. I would desire my right hand to work so I can write and do my schoolwork without struggle.”

Abasi is 72 years old and the father of seven children from Malawi. He owns a small business selling second-hand clothing to support his family. Four of his children are now married and living on their own, while three still depend on him at home. Through years of hard work, his small business has provided enough to meet their basic needs. It has been a simple but honest way of life. Two and a half months ago, Abasi started experiencing troubling symptoms. He was diagnosed with Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia. He needs to undergo a prostatectomy, a surgery to remove part or all of the prostate, to address his symptoms and prevent other health complications. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $530 to fund this procedure. The treatment is scheduled to take place at our medical partner's care center, Nkhoma Hospital, on July 9th. Once completed, it will hopefully improve Abasi's quality of life. More than anything, he longs to regain his health so he can return to the trading centre, reopen his small business, and continue providing for the family that still depends on him. Abasi says, "I have always worked to provide for my family with my own hands. My greatest wish is to recover, return to my business, and continue caring for those who still depend on me. I am thankful that there is hope through this program."

Hadassa is a seven-year-old girl from Haiti. She is the middle child in her family, with an older sister and a younger brother. She does not currently attend school but enjoys helping her parents around the house and watching cartoons. Hadassa has a cardiac condition called a partial atrioventricular canal defect. A hole exists between the chambers of her heart, causing blood to leak between them instead of properly circulating through the lungs to receive oxygen. This leaves her weak and short of breath. Hadassa also has Down syndrome. Hadassa needs to fly to the Dominican Republic to receive treatment. On June 24th, she will undergo heart surgery, during which doctors will repair the hole in her heart. Another organization is paying for the surgery, but her family also needs help with travel and 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 Hadassa's family overseas. Hadessa’s mother shares, “Our family is so happy to know that there is a way to fix our daughter’s heart, and we hope everything will go well!”