Savan is a 69-year-old retired rice farmer. He lives in Prey Veang near the border of Cambodia and Vietnam with his family. He and his wife have three sons, four daughters, and twelve grandchildren. His youngest daughter still lives at home and helps support the family by working at a local construction company. At home, Savan and his wife like taking walks, spending time with family, caring for his chickens, and watching the news. About three months ago, Savan developed a cataract in his right eye, causing him itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. A cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye, so it is like looking through a frosty or fogged-up window. He has been having difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about potential falls while walking, which has made him reluctant to venture out independently. When Savan learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On April 1st, doctors will perform a phacoemulsification cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in his right eye. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. Now, Savan needs help to fund this $253 procedure. Savan shared, "I hope after surgery my eye can see better so I can easily go out in the village on my own and help take my grandkids to school."

Merge is a 3 year-old child from Ethiopia. She is a beautiful young girl who loves to play with toys and her brothers. She loves to wear new clothes and shoes - her dad shared that she is always asking for new clothes and shoes. Merge loves being around people. Her dad is a farmer with a large family, his older children out of the house and living their own lives. Seven children are still with their parents. Her mom spends her day taking care of her child, collecting firewood from the woods, and pouring water from a long distance from a manual well. She carries the water jar and the sticks on her back. They harvest once a year. Their income is limited to sustain the needs of their household. Merge was born with anorectal malformation and she was referred to Addis Ababa referral hospital and underwent two surgeries. But now she developed an incisional hernia. Fortunately, on February 9th, she will undergo hernia repair surgery at our medical partner's care center. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $512 to fund Merge's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow her to live more comfortably and confidently as she grows. Merge's dad said, “I hope she will heal. That will make me happy. I will send her to school and I want her to become a doctor.”

Ritchina is a 7-month-old baby girl from Haiti. She lives with both of her loving parents and her older brother. Ritchina has been diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain and increases intracranial pressure. As a result of her condition, Ritchina has been experiencing increasing head circumference. Without treatment, Ritchina will experience severe physical and developmental delays. Our medical partner, Project Medishare, is requesting $897 to cover the cost of surgery for Ritchina at Hospital Bernard Mevs that will treat her hydrocephalus. This is the only site in the country where this care is currently available and the procedure is scheduled to take place on January 4th. This critical treatment will drain the excess fluid from Ritchina's brain to reduce intracranial pressure and greatly improve her quality of life. With proper treatment, Ritchina will hopefully develop into a strong, healthy young girl. Her parents are hopeful that surgery will allow their child to grow up healthy.