Akshay is 18 years old and lives in Palamu, Jharkhand, India. He lives with his parents and elder sister. His father is a farmer. He studied until the 8th grade. When Akshay was six months old, he fell into a traditional cooking stove and burned his right hand. The burn caused a contracture, where the skin healed tightly, and over time, his hand became restricted in movement. He has lived with this since he was a baby. The contracture on his right hand makes daily tasks difficult. At 18, with a father who farms and a family that depends on physical work, this has been a real limitation in his day-to-day life. When Akshay learned about our medical partner, G.S. Memorial Plastic Surgery Hospital and Trauma Center, he and his mother traveled 6.5 hours to receive treatment to release the post-burn contracture of his right hand. On July 1st, specialty surgeons will perform a burn contracture release surgery so he can regain function and mobility in his hand. Now, he needs help to fund this $1,442 procedure. Akshay shared, "I want my hand to work properly so that I can help my family."

Vortey is a 20-month-old girl from Cambodia. She is an only child and lives with her parents in Kompot Province. Her father works at a bank, while her mother runs a small coffee shop. She enjoys eating caramelized pork and grilled fish. On January 14, 2026, Vortey was burned by hot water, injuring her left hand. She received treatment and regular follow-up at a hospital near their home, but the burn healed with scar tissue that later caused contractures in several fingers and the web spaces. The burn scars have tightened around her left middle, ring, and little fingers and the spaces between them. This limits her finger movement and makes it harder for her to use her left hand normally. When Vortey learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), she traveled four hours to seek treatment. On September 17th, surgeons at CSC will perform a burn contracture release surgery to loosen the tight scar tissue and improve movement in her left fingers and hand, helping her use her hand more comfortably as she grows. Now, she needs help to fund this $652 procedure. Vortey's father said, “Seeing her fingers become tight after the burn has been difficult for us as parents. I hope this treatment will give her better movement in her hand so she can play with her sister, learn as she grows, and use her hand more comfortably.”

Rodas is a four-year-old girl from Ethiopia. She lives in a loving home with her older sister, her stay-at-home mother who cares for her daily, and her father, who works tirelessly as an electrician to provide for the family. Despite their strong bond and dedication, her condition creates a heavy, continuous strain on their household. Three years ago, Rodas started to experience snoring, mouth breathing, struggling to swallow, and loss of appetite. Nights are especially grueling. Her swollen tonsils make breathing and sleeping difficult, leaving her parents awake for hours trying to soothe her pain, bring down fevers, and administer medication. This ongoing health struggle deeply affects her day-to-day life. Frequent sickness forces her to miss school, making it hard to keep up with her classmates or enjoy regular childhood activities. Rodas was recently diagnosed with enlarged tonsils, which, if not treated, will cause her symptoms to persist and possibly intensify over time. Our medical partner, Saglan Wajee General Hospital, is requesting $700 to fund a tonsillectomy for Rodas, which is scheduled to take place on July 20th. Surgeons will remove her tonsils, hopefully relieving Rodas of her symptoms and helping her live more comfortably. "We just want these painful nights to end. We want our little girl to sleep peacefully, play with her friends, and grow up healthy. Healing her will bring our family the peace we so desperately need," said Rodas's parents.