Tennyson is a playful 11-year-old boy from Kenya. He is currently in grade 3 and loves drawing and playing with friends. His father is a construction worker, while his mother is a home maker. Tennyson has clubfoot of right foot, a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. Tennyson was also born with a hearing impairment. His mother first noticed that his right foot was bending when he was three years old. “He struggled to walk and would often complain of pain, and as he grew, it only got worse,” she recalls. They sought help at a nearby hospital but were informed that the condition could not be treated there. With no clear solution, they returned home. As time passed, the condition worsened. The pain increased, Tennyson's foot began to swell, and walking became more difficult. Eventually, Tennyson had to stop going to school because he could no longer walk. One of his teachers grew concerned and reached out to the family. After learning about Tennyson’s condition, the teacher informed his mother about a mobile clinic by AIC CURE Hospital, where Tennyson could undergo a review. At the clinic, Tennyson was assessed and scheduled for serial casting and a clubfoot surgery. He has been undergoing the casting and is now ready for the repair surgery, which has been scheduled for May 25th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,286 to fund Tennyson's clubfoot repair. After treatment, his foot will gradually straighten and restore his ability to walk. Tennyson's mother says: “I am praying that his foot will be straightened, so that he can walk without pain, go back to school, and live like other children.”

Stacy is a 10-year-old girl from Kenya. When she was three years old, Stacy was taken in by a children's home after being abandoned by her parents. Her early days at the home were marked with isolation and seclusion. Whenever anyone tried to establish contact, all she would say was, “Take me home” as she cried. Eventually, Stacy started opening up and finding joy in the small moments, playing with her mates, and even enrolling in school. Currently in Grade 3, life has been a journey that has had lots of ups and downs. For years, Stacy has had umbilical hernia, which is a tissue bulge in the belly button area, occurring due to a weak spot in the abdominal wall. Stacy has been experiencing on and off pain at the site and was under pain medication, which did not provide lasting relief. One day, the home management came across information online, about our medical partner's care center, BethanyKids Kijabe Hospital (BKKH). After a call to BKKH, Stacy was brought to the hospital where she underwent a series of tests. Stacy's diagnosis was confirmed, and she has now been scheduled for a hernia repair surgery, on August 10th. Unfortunately, the home's management, dependent on well-wishers for their running, cannot afford to pay for her surgical treatment. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Stacy receive treatment. The procedure will cost $585, and once completed, Stacy will live a healthier life, free from her painful symptoms. She says: "I have had to stay back many times as my friends went to school because of the pain. I hope that after surgery I won't have to skip school anymore."

Sarun is a 72-year-old widow from Banteay Mean Chey province, Cambodia. She previously sold Chinese noodles for a living but has now stopped working because of her poor eyesight. Her husband passed away 20 years ago. She has two sons and two grandchildren. She currently lives with her oldest son, who works as a laborer harvesting potatoes. In her free time, she enjoys listening to the radio, especially monks praying, and attending ceremonies at the pagoda. About two years ago, Sarun developed a cataract in her left eye, causing her 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. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking. She is unable to go places on her own. When Sarun learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for 7 hours to seek treatment. On May 8th, doctors will perform a phacoemulsification cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in her left eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $263 procedure. Sarun said, "I hope that after surgery, my eyesight will improve so that I can see clearly again, recognize people and surroundings easily, and return to selling Chinese noodles well."