Maly is a 12-year-old 6th grader who lives in Kandal province with her parents and two brothers. Her father is a mango farmer, and her mother sells spices throughout the village and surrounding areas on the back of her bicycle. Her favorite foods are bread with jam, and beef noodle soup. She loves to dance and watch Cambodian dance competition shows on TV. Three years ago, Maly had her ears pierced at a shop in her village. Since then, keloids--large, raised scars--have developed on both ears, and have grown in size. She experiences itchiness and discomfort. She has not yet returned to school this autumn, as she feels too embarrassed. Maly traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On September 13, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), will remove the large masses. Now, Maly's family needs help to raise $273 to fund this procedure. Maly told us she really wants to remove the keloids, and then she will feel better about going back to school.

Renatus is a seven-year-old boy in grade 1 from Tanzania. He is smart, charming, and enjoys playing with everyone he interacts with. Whenever engaged in conversation, he exudes confidence. Renatus is the younger child in a family of two siblings. His parents are farmers and livestock keepers, making every effort to provide for their family. However, inflation makes it challenging for them to meet all their needs. During his early growth stages, Renatus effortlessly went through crawling, standing, and beginning to walk. However, as time passed and he started walking more, his legs began to show signs of bowing. This concerned his mother, leading her to take him to the hospital for evaluation. The doctor advised starting him on calcium therapy, but unfortunately, the treatment proved ineffective. Consequently, the mother sought another medical opinion from various medical centers, but the condition continued to worsen as Renatus grew older, making it increasingly difficult and painful for him to walk. Renatus and parents traveled 6 hours to seek treatment. He was diagnosed with a wind-swept deformity, which affects both of his legs, leading to reduced stability while walking. He was also diagnosed with clubfoot of both feet, a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. These conditions cause difficulty in walking and wearing shoes. He has become less confident during playtime, as he frequently trips and falls. Our medical partner African Mission Healthcare (AMH) determined that the best course of action is corrective surgery to improve Renatus’s quality of life. Surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on August 2nd. AMH is requesting $935 to fund Renatus's clubfoot repair. After treatment, he will be able to walk and play easily. Renatus’s mother said, "I wish my son to have a good life ahead free from any defect. I hope this treatment will make it possible for him to have a good future.”

Merab is a 30-year-old mother who is married with three children aged nine, six and three. She works as a small-scale farmer. She completed her secondary education but did not get a chance to proceed further due to a lack of school fees. Merab and her husband own a three-roomed house with their main source of cooking energy being firewood. They rely on bodabodas (motorcycles) as the main mode of transport while seeking medical attention which costs them about six to ten dollars round trip, which is high for their family. Three years ago, Merab began to experience troubling symptoms, including a small painless swelling on the front side of her neck, which has grown over the years. She has tried using herbs as treatment with no success and, although painless, the swelling makes her feel inferior while in public and she is worried what will happen in the future if she is untreated. Merab sought medical treatment and was diagnosed with a multinodular goiter that requires surgical removal. She needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Fortunately, our medical partner African Mission Healthcare (AMH) can help. Merab is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on August 12th when surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $333, and she and her family needs help raising money. Merab says, “I wish to look normal again through surgery. I will continue with farming for the well-being of my family after I recovery.”