Gasper is a thirteen-year-old resilient boy from Tanzania. He hails from Igwamadete village in the Singida region. Gasper is the eighth child in a family of nine. His parents, both farmers, work tirelessly cultivating food crops to make ends meet to help provide for the family. In June 2023, tragedy struck when Gasper was bitten by a snake on his right arm while he was asleep. His parents rushed him to the Igwamadete dispensary for immediate treatment, but unfortunately, the facility was not equipped to provide the specialized care he needed. Gasper was referred to the General Hospital in Dodoma and admitted for eight days. Following his stay at the hospital, Gasper was then taken to the Katavi region for local treatment, where he remained for four months. Despite their efforts, Gasper returned home to Singida with a developing contracture in his right elbow. This condition significantly limits his ability to engage in daily activities comfortably, including his studies. In their search for treatment, Gasper’s parents encountered another mother who had experienced a similar ordeal with her child. This compassionate woman directed them to Kafika House Center. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is now helping Gasper receive treatment at their care center Kafika House. On December 13th, surgeons will perform a contracture release surgery to help release the skin limiting the extension and flexing of his elbow. Now, his family needs help to fund this $874 procedure. Gasper says: “I can’t write comfortably because of my hand; I hope my hand will get back to normal.”

Valentino is a preschooler from Bolivia who lives with his mother and four older brothers. He loves to watch cartoons and enjoys his mother's s cooking. However, it is difficult for him to gain weight. Valentino has a cardiac condition called ventricular septal defect. A hole exists between the two lower chambers of his heart; blood leaks through this hole without passing through the lungs to obtain oxygen, leaving him weak and short of breath. On April 16th, he will undergo cardiac surgery at our medical partner's care center, Hospital del Niño Dr. Ovidio Aliaga Uría. During surgery, surgeons will sew a patch over the hole in his heart so that blood can no longer leak through it. Our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, requests $1,500 for this procedure. Valentino's mother says, "Our family will be so much happier and less stressed once we know that our son is normal and healthy."

Recheal is a 20-year-old from Kenya. She is studying in secondary school but has been unable to attend school for the last three months due to her condition. Recheal is the sixth born in a family of eleven children. Her parents are small-scale farmers, growing maize and beans for their family’s home use. Recheal does not have medical coverage, and her parents had to sell cattle and maize to raise Ksh 120,000.00 ($783) to cover her initial surgery costs. Recheal needs to undergo urgent surgery, and her family is requesting financial assistance. Recheal has been diagnosed with an abdominal bile leak that is causing her discomfort and pain. Her doctors have recommended surgery to ease the pain and enable her to resume her studies. She first experienced painful stomach swelling in August 2023. She visited a local health center and was treated for worms, which relieved her of pain for a while, but it recurred with time. She then visited our medical partner’s hospital for review. At the beginning of November, she received a CT scan that showed a liver cyst that required surgery. She underwent a laparotomy to remove the cyst on November 23rd. Four days later, the doctors identified a bile leakage that needed to be rectified. She is now scheduled for emergency surgery on November 28th to fix the fatal condition. African Mission Healthcare (AMH) is requesting $1,074 to fund this surgery. Recheal said, “I have missed school for three months now. This procedure will help ease stomach pain and enable me to return to school.”