Char is a 55-year-old man from Burma who lives with his wife, two daughters, and two sons. His oldest two children work as small-scale farmers alongside Char and his wife, while his two youngest are students. Char's family also raises buffalo, pigs, and chickens for their consumption and to sell for income every four or five months. Char shared that the money they earn from selling their livestock, as well as the crops they grow for themselves, is just enough to cover their daily needs and to pay for basic health care. Char has a right inguinal hernia with bowel obstruction that is causing him to experience a lot of pain, difficulty walking and moving, and a reduced appetite. He needs to undergo surgery to heal from his condition. Fortunately, our medical partner can help him undergo hernia repair surgery on May 12th, which, once completed, will allow him to live more comfortably. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,468 to fund Char's surgery. Char shared about how upsetting this condition has been for him and his family, stating: "I cannot help my family take care of our rice fields, [vegetable] garden, or buffaloes," he said. "After I recover, I want to go home to take care of our rice fields and look after my buffalo. I will also go to the forest to forage for vegetables and hunt."

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.

Francisco is an 11-year-old boy from Uganda. Born as one of triplets, Francisco has two sisters who live with their mother, while he lives with his grandfather. His mother sells fresh vegetables in the community to support her children, while his grandfather is a subsistence farmer. Despite the family’s determination to care for Francisco, his health condition has become a major concern. His grandfather recently brought him to our medical partner's care center, Rushoroza Hospital, after noticing that his right testicle was still undescended. Following careful medical assessment and examination at the hospital, doctors have recommended corrective surgery to treat his condition, and provide him the opportunity to grow into a healthy and productive young man. Unfortunately, Francisco’s grandfather is financially overwhelmed and unable to meet the required medical expenses for surgery, medications, investigations, hospitalization, and follow-up care. Besides caring for Francisco, he is currently responsible for supporting eleven other dependents within the family. The little income earned from small-scale farming is often not enough to provide for the family’s basic needs, let alone raise funds for specialized medical treatment. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Francisco receive treatment. On May 12th, he will undergo surgery that will not only get him healthier, but also restore hope to his elderly grandfather. Now, Francisco's family needs help to fund this $220 procedure. Francisco's grandfather says, “I am doing everything I can to care for my grandson and the many children depending on me, but I cannot afford the surgery he urgently needs. I humbly ask kind-hearted people to support Francisco, so that he can grow up healthy and free from his condition. May God bless everyone who stands with us.”