Samwel is a five-month-old baby from Gilalumpa, Tanzania. He is the youngest child in his family, born into a polygamous family of two wives and eleven children. The family relies on livestock-keeping as their primary livelihood but lack the means to generate sufficient income to cover expenses. They reside in a communal boma or community enclosure consisting of seven small mud huts, each hut divided into two rooms, which accommodate their entire family. Samwel’s mother, Namag, gave birth to him at home, and while the delivery went smoothly, Samwel developed some health issues a few days later. Observing an abnormality in Samwel’s left foot, the family initially took no action as they had no understanding of the condition. When a concerned neighbor noticed his foot, the family sought medical treatment. However, due to their financial situation, the family was unable to afford the necessary care. Fortunately, doctors offering mobile clinic services set up camp near the family's home. Samwel’s parents managed to attend the clinic, where the doctors recommended assistance from Fly Medical Services (FMS) for transportation to Arusha where treatment would be available. Samwel has congenital clubfoot of left foot. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape or position as the tissues connecting the muscles to the bone (tendons) are shorter than usual. Clubfoot causes difficulty walking and wearing shoes. Samwel's family was able to travel to visit our medical partner's care center, The Plaster House NGO. There, the team will begin clubfoot treatment on September 22nd. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $935 to fund Samwel's clubfoot repair. After treatment, Samwel’s quality of life will significantly improve as he grows. The treatment will enable him to walk comfortably, wear shoes, and alleviate any concerns his parents may have about his condition and his future. Samwel’s mother says: “I would like my son to be well. I want him to enjoy long walks with his brother when he grows up.”

Alizu is a 15 year-old girl who lives in Kampong Thom province with her parents and two sisters. Her parents work as rice farmers, her older sister is also a cleaner, and her younger sister is still in school. In her free time, she enjoys reading and checking her social media. Alizu has nasal polyps in each nostril that cause bad odor, discharge, and pain. For the last four years, she has suffered from frequent headaches and difficulty sleeping due to the obstruction in her nose. She has been using medications to manage these symptoms but her condition has not improved. Fortunately, surgeons at Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC) are able to perform a nasal surgery on September 18th to alleviate these symptoms permanently. Her family needs help to raise $388 to fund the surgery. Alizu said, “I really hope after the surgery my nose will be better, my headaches will go away so I can feel normal again."

Prudence is a small-scale farmer from Uganda. She completed primary school class seven and dropped out due to a lack of school fees. She farms with her husband, and they live in a two-room mud house with their two children, aged 9 and 5. Both of the children attend school, and Prudence and her husband pay the school fees through the sale of agricultural produce. However, they are a very low-income family. For over 10 years, Prudence has had an epigastric hernia, a condition where fat, tissue, or intestine push through a weak spot in the upper abdominal wall. It started as a small painless swelling above her umbilicus and later became painful after she delivered one of her children. The pain has persisted, and she is currently unable to eat comfortably. Surgery, the only remedy, has been recommended but Prudence has not been able to afford it. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), can help. On September 14, Prudence will undergo hernia repair surgery at our medical partner's care center. AMHF is requesting $170 to fund Prudence's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow her to live more comfortably and confidently. Prudence says, “After treatment, I hope I will get well and be able to do my day-to-day duties normally.”