Rebira is a 14-year-old student who lives in Ethiopia with his parents and three siblings. His father works as a guard, and his mother stays home to care for the children. Before his recent health challenges, he enjoyed playing football with his friends. About two years ago, Rebira injured his left leg while playing football. Because his family could not afford medical care, the injury went untreated. Unfortunately, the leg did not heal properly, and Rebira continues to suffer from intermittent swelling, severe pain, and difficulty walking. The pain has become so debilitating that he struggles to make the walk to school. His parents fear that, if left untreated, he may be forced to abandon his education, trapping him in a cycle of poverty. Recently, Rebira and his family attended our medical partner’s care center, Saglan Wajee General Hospital. Following an investigation, doctors determined that he needs a sequestrectomy, a surgical procedure involving the removal of fragments of infected dead bone or tissue. Without treatment, Rebira may suffer from recurrent infections, which can result in life-threatening complications. On August 24th, Rebira will undergo repair surgery at our medical partner's care center. Our medical partner, Saglan Wajee General Hospital, is requesting $900 to fund Rebira's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will alleviate his symptoms and prevent serious long-term complications. Rebira's parents shared, "We hope that our son will be able to easily walk to school and return to playing football with his friends again."

Brighton is 20 years old and the fifth-born in a family of six children from Malawi. He lives with his parents, who run a small-scale potato-selling business. He works as a part-time cleaner and uses his income to fund his college education. Six months ago, Brighton noticed a swelling in a sensitive area of his body. The swelling often came and started to cause pain, discomfort, and nausea, affecting his ability to work and focus on school. He was diagnosed with a right inguinal hernia, a condition in which soft tissue protrudes through a weak point in the abdominal wall, causing pain, especially during strenuous activities. He needs surgery to address his symptoms and prevent future health complications. Fortunately, on June 9th, Brighton will undergo hernia repair surgery at our medical partner's care center, Partners in Hope Medical Center. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $575 to fund Brighton's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably and confidently. Brighton shared, "Your support will enable me to continue doing my part-time job that supports my education; I look forward to making my parents happy after my education."

14-year-old Jeng lives in Shan State, Burma, with his grandmother, parents, two uncles, and five siblings. His grandmother is retired, while his parents work on a banana farm. One of his uncles is a subsistence farmer who grows rice, while Jeng, his other uncle and his siblings - except the youngest one who is too young to enroll - are students. His parents' income is just enough for their daily expenses. In June 2025, Jeng began experiencing frequent nosebleeds from his right nostril. At first, his father would use tissues to pack his nose and stop the bleeding, which resolved the issue temporarily. Later on, Jeng's symptoms worsened; the nosebleeds became recurrent, and could no longer be stopped by packing the nose with tissue. Jeng also felt as though something was blocking his nostril. He visited a local clinic, where the doctor performed a basic physical examination, and recommended that he travel to a major city to seek medical attention. Since Jeng and his family can only speak a bit of Burmese, his father decided against bringing him to a hospital in a larger city in Burma. Instead, through their acquaintance, they went to a hospital in northern Thailand in November 2025. At the hospital, the doctor performed a physical examination, and ordered a Computed Tomography (CT) scan. Jeng was diagnosed with juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma in the right nasal cavity. This is a rare, vascular tumor that is non-cancerous, but very aggressive. Recently, Jeng was brought by his father to our medical partner's care center in Chiang Mai, where the the doctor advised that he would need to undergo another CT scan before planning for surgery. A CT scan is a procedure in which X-ray images taken from several angles are combined to produce cross-sectional images of the body. This scan will hopefully help the doctors confirm Jeng's diagnosis, and formulate an appropriate treatment plan. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $469 to cover the cost of Jeng's CT scan, which is scheduled for August 3rd, at Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital. Jeng's father said, “I am exhausted from trying to find treatment for him. I have had to visit many hospitals for his care. I also feel stressed because I am in debt for his treatment, and I feel sad that there is no one to help me. I hope my son can undergo the surgery. I feel really thankful from the bottom of my heart that the donors are willing to help my son’s treatment. Thank you so much for accepting him and supporting his treatment. I hope he can go back to school after the surgery, and I will support whatever he wants to be in the future.”