Bright is a three month old baby who lives with a single mother, who works in small scale, subsistence farming. Bright was born with with bilateral clubfoot, which will make it difficult to wear shoes or to walk. Because of limited income - and because she is young and this is her first child - Bright's mother has been struggling to find the right care for Bright since he was born. Fortunately, Bright and his mother were connected with our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation. With their assistance, Bright has been scheduled for clubfoot repair surgery on November 4th, at Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre. Bright's mother needs your help to fund this procedure, which will cost $935. Bright’s mother says: “After seeing the work that you do here, I have hope that my baby will grow up to have a normal life.”

Thanh is from Kampot province in Cambodia, and he and his wife are durian fruit farmers. They have a three-year-old daughter. In his free time, Thanh enjoys exercising, playing chess, and fishing. He also enjoys taking walks with his wife and daughter along the river. In January 2020, Thanh was in a motorbike collision and fractured his right tibia. He had an open reduction with an external fixation device at a local hospital, which was removed several months later. Unfortunately, the surgical site has become infected, with an exposed tibial bone. Thanh has chronic pain and cannot rid himself of the infection. He is unable to walk and feels ashamed that his wife must do much of the management of their small farm that supports their family. Thanh and his family traveled three hours to Children's Surgical Centre, where surgeons recommended debridement of the infected wound and a reverse sural flap. This technique is used to reconstruct defects in the lower part of the leg. Now, Thanh needs help with the $991 cost of this treatment. The cost includes surgery, medications, hospital care, and post-op rehabilitation. Thanh's wife shared: "My husband has been unable to walk or work for more than two years, which has been hard on our family. I hope that the doctors can fix his leg so he can walk well again and help manage the farm."

Nhel is a 54-year-old construction worker from Cambodia. He is married and has one son and two daughters. Nhel lives with his wife and their youngest daughter. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his friends and caring for his grandchild. This past July, Nhel was in a motor vehicle accident that caused a fracture of his left humerus. He visited a private clinic after the accident, but he unfortunately could not receive treatment due to financial constraints. It is currently difficult for him to use his left arm, and he is in chronic pain. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. On September 1st, Nhel will undergo fracture repair surgery, which will heal the fracture and allow him to regain use of his left arm. Now, he needs help to fund this $483 procedure. Nhel says, "I hope my pain will stop and I can use my left arm again."

Lekitony is a kind 13-year-old boy from Kenya. He is the youngest in a family of nine children. He and his family are from a Maasai community in a remote village where people mainly practice livestock keeping to support themselves. He is very hardworking and helps his parents look after the cattle in search of pasture and water. Lekitony was diagnosed with right genu valgum, meaning his right leg is bowed inward, causing his knees to touch. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, often stemming from contaminated drinking water. As a result, he has a difficult time walking and experiences pain. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $880 to fund corrective surgery for Lekitony. The procedure is scheduled to take place on July 15th. Treatment will hopefully restore Lekitony's mobility, allow him to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease his risk of future complications. Lekitony shares, “When I run, my knees knock and I fall. Also, most of the time my knees hurt.”

Erick is a four year old boy, living with his parents and five siblings. He is a charming and playful fellow, who loves football. Erick was diagnosed with bilateral genu varus, a condition which causes his legs to bow outward, making it difficult for him to walk, and causing him pain. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, which often stems from contaminated drinking water. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, has stepped up to help Erick access the corrective surgery he needs. They are requesting $880 to fund this procedure, which is scheduled to take place on June 7th at Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre, and which should restore Erick's mobility. After he heals, he will be able to engage in a variety of activities, and the risk of future complications will be greatly diminished. Erick’s father says: “We have hope that our son could have his legs corrected here.”

Jovaito is a joyful woman and a wonderful mother to her four children, all of whom are in school. She is in her late forties and relies on farming to make ends meet. Her husband is a laborer who also takes up farming jobs on people's farms to make a living. Together, their income is limited, which makes paying school fees and meeting health needs difficult. For eight months, Jovaito has been experiencing uncomfortable symptoms and lower abdominal pain. She has been diagnosed with cervical cancer and needs to undergo a hysterectomy, the surgical removal of the uterus, in order to remove her tumor and relieve her of her pain. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $219 to fund Jovaito's surgery. On May 12th, she will undergo gynecological surgery at our medical partner's care center, Karoli Lwanga Hospital. Once recovered, Jovaito will be able to resume her daily activities and take care of her family pain free. Jovaito says, “I never got a chance to study but I have worked so hard to see that my children acquire so much education. I hope to continue with farming to push them farther once given a chance to undergo my surgery successfully.”

Linda is a beautiful three-week-old baby from Kenya who is the youngest of three children. A few months prior to Linda's birth, her mother became very sick and lost her job as a security guard. Her mother shares that this created many challenges for their family because she was their sole source of income after Linda's father left them. Additionally, they have not had many people nearby to help them since they came from Uganda. Fortunately, a Ugandan friend of Linda's mother heard about her condition and offered to accommodate her. This good Samaritan has since been facilitating hospital transportation and providing Linda’s family with financial support where possible. Shortly after her birth, Linda was diagnosed with spina bifida, a type of neural tube defect in which the spine does not properly close around the spinal cord. Without treatment, Linda is at risk of lower-limb paralysis, infection of the exposed nervous tissue, development of tethered cord syndrome, and possible developmental delays. The public hospital where she was born was unable to offer her any treatment and instead referred her to our medical partner's care center, Bethanykids Kijabe Hospital. Upon arrival, Linda was found to be in critical condition. She was immediately admitted and put on medication. She stayed in the hospital for more than two weeks under the care of the medical team. Once she got better, she was discharged and scheduled to undergo spinal repair surgery. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,151 to cover the cost of Linda's spina bifida closure surgery. The procedure is scheduled to take place on August 25th. This procedure will hopefully spare Linda from the risks associated with her condition and allow her to grow and develop along a healthy trajectory. Linda’s mother says, “I was shocked when I saw her at birth and did not know if she would ever be treated. Now, I have courage to face the future, as I have been told that she will be treated.”

Prince is a 4-month-old baby from Kenya and his parents' only child. Prince and his family live in their ancestral home. To support their family, his parent work on a farm, as well as do casual jobs like plowing farms for neighbors. When Prince was born, his mother noticed that his head was larger than expected. When his head continued to increase in size, she took him to a nearby hospital. There, he was examined and referred to our medical partner's care center, BethanyKids Kijabe Hospital. Prince has been diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain and increases intracranial pressure. This condition is the reason Prince has been experiencing an increasing head circumference. Without treatment, he will experience severe physical and developmental delays. However, his parents shared that they do not have insurance and cannot fund Prince's needed treatment. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), is helping Prince receive treatment. On July 20th, he will undergo surgery to drain the excess fluid from his brain and reduce intracranial pressure. With treatment, he will hopefully develop into a strong, healthy young boy. AMHF is requesting $720 to cover the cost of Prince's surgery. Prince's mother says, “I feel bad that my child has to go through this and that I’m not able to take control of the situation.”

Silvia is a 38-year-old woman, living with her husband and two children. Today, Silvia sits in a hospital bed, awaiting surgery. But this story begins in December 2020, when she suffered a stroke. Because of the stroke, Silvia had to give up her work as a hairdresser, so she now relies on her husband, a freelance electrician, to provide for their family. After recovering from her stroke, Silvia began to notice worrying symptoms. The doctors at Kijabe Hospital continued to follow Silvia, but it wasn't until 2022 - after undergoing a scan - that her doctors realized that Silvia had a tumor in her bladder. Silvia underwent surgery to have the tumor removed, but developed post operative complications that required another operation. Subsequently, Silvia was found to have a bladder leakage, which now requires urgent surgical repair. Silvia and her family have no medical coverage, and in the past, they have relied on friends and family to help pay for all of her medical bills. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is here now to help Silvia access the care that she needs. They are requesting $1,074 to fund the surgical repair of Silvia's bladder perforation, which is scheduled for June 20th at AIC Kijabe Hospital. Silvia says: “I can't believe I am scheduled for another surgery again. I have been going through a lot. It is tough but I hope to be better soon.”

Woldegibreal is a 10-year-old boy, living with his parents and two younger siblings in Ethiopia. He is an intelligent and loving boy, who helps his parents around the house, and with looking after his two siblings. He also loves music and playing football. Woldegibreal was born with a congenital abnormality, which leaves his bladder exposed to the open air, and leaking urine directly into his abdomen. Because of this, Woldegibreal is prone to infections and injury to his bladder, and suffers from constant pain and discomfort. There is a surgical procedure which can correct Woldegibreal's condition. However, even though his parents work hard on the land that they have, they are unable to sustain their family, due to the poor harvests which result from the hot and dry area where they live. They survive with support from others and are unable to cover the costs of Woldegibreal's surgery. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is seeking $1,500 to cover the cost of the life-changing procedure for Woldegibreal, scheduled to take place at BethanyKids Myungsung Christian Medical Centre on May 24th. This procedure will enable Woldegibreal to heal, and to enjoy a full and healthy life. His father shared: “If he gets the surgery we will faint in happiness. We will bless all who helped him. We will send him to school. And we will lead our life with thanksgiving and gratitude.”