Sintanan is a three-year-old boy who lives with his parents in Ethiopia. His mother spends long days working in the flower industry. All day, she is surrounded by beauty, but also harsh pesticides, which take a toll on her body, that she needs regular medical checkups just to stay healthy. Sintanan's father works with his hands, doing heavy lifting work wherever he can find it. Despite the struggle, their love for their son keeps them moving. One year ago, Sintanan began experiencing difficulty in breathing, snoring, sleep disturbance and fevers. He is often very sick, which creates a problem for his family because his parents are day laborers, and a day spent nursing Sintanan is a day they don't get paid. When he is sick, they stay awake all night, watching him closely, because they are so afraid something bad will happen while they sleep. Sintanan has been diagnosed with enlarged tonsils. He requires surgery treatment, but his parents are unable to pay for it. Our medical partner, Saglan Wajee General Hospital, is requesting $700 to fund a tonsillectomy for Sintanan, which is scheduled to take place on February 11th. Surgeons will remove his tonsils, hopefully relieving Sintanan of his symptoms, and helping him to live more comfortably. "We long to see our son sleep through the night, and eat without pain. It would be our greatest joy to know that infections are no longer affecting his development," said Sintanan's parents.

Yen is a 30-year-old housekeeper from Cambodia. She lives in a small community near Phnom Penh, where she works as a housekeeper. She divorced six years ago and has one loving son who is currently in grade 1. Her son lives with his grandparents, who are rice farmers, while she works in the city to support her family. In her free time, she enjoys listening to music. When she was about 18 months old, Yen was burned by a hot pan, which injured her right hand. Severe burn scar contractures developed in her right 4th and 5th fingers, causing stiffness and limiting her ability to use her hand comfortably. This affects her daily activities and her work as a housekeeper. Yen sought help with our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre. On January 22nd, surgeons at CSC will perform a burn contracture release surgery to reduce stiffness and improve hand function, allowing her to use her hand more easily for work and daily tasks. Now, she needs help to fund this $652 procedure. Yen said, “After the surgery, I hope that I will be able to use my hand functionally and will no longer experience stiffness.”

Vichet is an 18-year-old university student from Kampong Speu Province, Cambodia. He is currently living in Phnom Penh for the first year of his studies. His parents work as grocery sellers back home and take care of his younger sister. Vichet is the middle child of three siblings. His older brother is also a university student in his second year, and his younger sister is in first grade. Vichet enjoys playing volleyball with friends and listening to music in his free time. In 2024, Vichet was involved in a motor vehicle accident that resulted in a fracture of his right femur. Following the accident in February 2024, he underwent surgery at a private clinic in Kampong Speu, where a nail was inserted into his right femur to stabilize the fracture. Vichet is currently experiencing persistent pain and stiffness in his right thigh, especially during walking and prolonged physical activity, from the hardware. This limits his mobility, reduces his comfort in daily life, and affects his ability to participate fully in university and sports activities. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), can help. On May 13th, Vichet will undergo a hardware removal procedure. CSC is requesting $278 to cover the cost of Vichet's care. Removal of the hardware is expected to reduce his pain and stiffness, improve mobility, and allow him to return to normal walking and daily activities with greater comfort and confidence. Vichet said, “I hope this surgery will relieve the pain and stiffness in my leg, so I can walk comfortably again and return to my normal daily activities.”