Sipha has five children, with two of them living in another province working in factories. He is a single father and currently lives with three of his younger children and his 70-year-old mother in rural Mondulkiri Province. His three sons are aged 5, 7, and 11, and all of them attend the local school. In his free time, Sipha helps his mother raise pigs behind their house and enjoys playing with his children. Since birth, Sipha has had a large vascularized mass on his upper lip that extends into his right nostril. In 2002, he underwent an excision of the mass at a local hospital. However, over time, the mass has grown progressively larger again, making it difficult for him to speak and eat comfortably. Fortunately, our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), can help. Sipha and his sister traveled from Mondulkiri Province for nearly 6 hours to seek treatment. On June 14th, the team at CSC will perform surgery to remove the mass on his upper lip. This surgery will eliminate discomfort and make it easier to speak and eat. Sipha is able to contribute $75 but needs help to raise $651 more to fund the procedure. Sipha hopes that the surgery will allow him to talk with his children again and reduce his stress about the mass growing in size.

Gabriel is a two-year-old toddler from Malawi. His parents manage a homestead from which they earn income to support their family. They grow vegetables such as mustard, Irish potatoes, and maize, which they sell to merchants from time to time. Since he was five months old, Gabriel has had an inguinal hernia. This occurs when tissue, such as part of the intestine, protrudes through a weak spot in the abdominal muscles, typically in the groin area. This causes pain and other symptoms like fever, weakness, and vomiting. Fortunately, Gabriel is scheduled to undergo hernia repair surgery on September 3rd. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $421 to cover the cost of Gabriel's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully relieve his pain and allow Gabriel to live more comfortably. Gabriel’s father says, “I would really like to experience a changed attitude from him from a crying child to a much happier child after surgery.”

Sancia is an 11-year-old girl and the oldest of two siblings from Kenya. They live with their mother who takes on casual jobs like washing clothes to support her family. Sancia has been suffering from reduced hearing since she was three years old. This has led to delayed milestones in her life, such as difficulties with speech because she can hardly hear sounds around her. Her mother has undertaken numerous journeys to various hospitals looking for a cure, but these efforts have not been successful. Now in the 5th grade, Sancia is having a harder time academically due to her hearing issues. Her speech is distorted, making clear communication difficult. Sancia was referred to our medical partner's care center, AIC Kijabe Hospital, where doctors recommended fitting bilateral hearing aids to improve her hearing and potentially improve her speech difficulties. Sancia will be fitted with hearing aids on September 6th and our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, needs help to raise $748. Sancia’s mother says, “Sometimes I ask her to bring me something and she brings a completely different item. She is not doing well in school, and I am afraid she is missing out on her childhood. I hope you can help her regain her hearing so she can enjoy her childhood."