Salato is a 5-year-old boy from Tanzania. He is a part of the Maasai tribe and comes from a large Maasai family with seven children. His father is a livestock keeper. Due to their remote location, the family relies on livestock and selling cattle as their main source of income to cover their expenses. Salato was diagnosed with genu valgus. His legs bow inward so that his knees knock. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, which often stems from contaminated drinking water. As a result, Salato faces difficulty walking long distances and experiences considerable discomfort due to the abnormal gait he has developed. This condition has also limited his ability to help his father with the livestock and hampers his ability to socialize with others. During an outreach visit from our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), Salato and his parents had the opportunity to attend a clinic where he received education about his condition. The church kindly assisted in facilitating his transportation to the hospital. Upon arrival, the team warmly welcomed him and conducted a thorough assessment. As a result, a plan was formulated to correct the abnormality in his right leg surgically. However, Salato and his parents are unable to afford the costs associated with his treatment. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), can help. Salato will undergo a corrective procedure on August 2nd. Treatment will hopefully restore Salato's mobility, allow him to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease his risk of future complications. AMH is requesting $880 to cover the cost of Salato's treatment. Salato’s guardian says, “He often feels left out when he can’t socialize with his peers. We hope the treatment will help him fit in his society.”

Sera is a bright nine-year-old 2nd grader. He resides in Kratie province alongside his parents and three siblings. His parents are rice farmers, and he attends a nearby school. Sera finds pleasure in his studies, particularly in activities like writing the alphabet and learning about history. In his free time, he likes playing with friends and getting donuts from a street cart near his school. Since birth, Sera has had a congenital nevus, a growing discoloration on his nose. This has been growing over the past three years, as is typical with congenital nevi during a child's development. Lately, Sera has been feeling embarrassed at school and believes that others are constantly looking at him. Fortunately, a simple procedure can remove it and help him feel confident. Sera's family traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment planned for June 13th. Now, Sera's family needs help to raise $273 to fund this procedure. His mother shared, "I hope my son can feel better and go back to school soon. I don't want to worry that it will keep getting bigger or that my son is feeling sad."

Sary is a 34-year-old man who was born and raised in the capital city of Phnom Penh, Cambodia. His mom has always worked as a cleaner, and his dad is a vegetable farmer. Sary currently lives with his younger brother but hasn't been able to work in years due to his deteriorating condition. He enjoys watching Cambodian comedy shows on television and spending time with his brother. From the age of 12, Sary and his parents noticed his spine was curved. By the age of 20, he lost some function in his right hand. He did not seek treatment due to fear of the costs. Since that time, the condition has worsened. He experiences back pain, ankle pain, and weakness in his right leg and arm. He needs a scoliosis corrective surgery to improve his function and decrease pain. He has presented to our medical partner Children's Surgical Centre (CSC) to seek intervention for his disability. Surgeons plan to do a spinal fusion with implants on August 3rd. Sary was able to contribute $100 to the cost of the surgery and needs help with the remaining $1,500, which will cover the costs of radiology, medications, surgery, and post-op physiotherapy care. Sary shared, "I hope I can walk better, not have pain, and help my brother at home."