Naomi Tembo is a 45-year-old married woman from Malawi. She has 4 children who are all in primary school. To support the family, Naomi works as a cook at Nkhoma College of Nursing. She also practices subsistence farming where she grows maize and groundnuts. Naomi has been experiencing lower abdominal pain followed by a swelling in her abdomen. She came to Nkhoma Hospital to seek medical help and she was diagnosed with an umbilical hernia. Naomi is scheduled for hernia repair surgery on March 12th and our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $500 to support the surgery. Treatment will relieve her of the pain and reduce the risks of future health complications. Naomi says, “I hope to be free from this condition that is affecting my life.”

Samuel is a 10-month-old baby boy from Haiti. He is the first born child of his parents. Samuel has been diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain and increases intracranial pressure. As a result of his condition, Samuel has been experiencing increasing head circumference. Without treatment, Samuel will experience severe physical and developmental delays. On February 1st, Samuel will undergo surgery at Hospital Bernard Mevs to treat his hydrocephalus. This is the only site in the country where this care is currently available. Surgeons will place a shunt to drain the excess fluid from Samuel's brain, reducing intracranial pressure and greatly improving his quality of life. With proper treatment, Samuel will hopefully develop into a strong, healthy young boy. Our medical partner, Project Medishare, is requesting $957 to cover the cost of this surgery. His parents are looking forward to their child being healthy after surgery, hopeful that he can live a good life ahead.

Manfa is the only child in his family. His parents are rice and potato farmers in rural Mondolkiri Province in Cambodia. He loves to eat fried potatoes using the potatoes they grow on the farm and enjoys watching cartoons on his mom's phone. Manfa was diagnosed with osteogenesis imperfecta, a congenital condition in which bones are brittle and prone to breaking. He has experienced multiple fractures in his lower limbs since he was six years old. On March 4th, Manfa will undergo osteotomy, a procedure where his tibia bone will be reshaped to facilitate improved walking balance and prevent pain for him in the future. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, needs your support to fund the $469 procedure, post-op medications, and physiotherapy costs. Manfa's father shared: "In the future, I'm worried my son will not be able to attend school. I hope he can walk better than before and continue his dream to work as a teacher."