Saoratt is an inquisitive 3-year-old toddler from Cambodia. Saoratt is an only child and lives with his parents and his grandparents in Kampong Speu province. Saoratt's parents work in a local factory and his grandparents grow rice on their ancestral land. Saoratt is too young to attend school, but likes to play with neighbors or go out to the rice paddies with his grandparents. Saoratt's favorite meal is chicken and ice cream! Saoratt suffered an electric burn on his left fingers in April 2022. Saoratt visited a local hospital for burn care but has now developed skin contractures on his fingers. Saoratt cannot hold anything with his left hand, and cries out in pain if his mother tries to straighten his fingers. When Saoratt's family learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), they traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On January 3rd surgeons at CSC will perform a burn contracture release surgery that will help Saoratt hold objects and bend and straighten his fingers. Now, CSC is helping Saoratt's family raise $495 to fund this procedure. Saoratt's mother shared, "I feel so bad my son's fingers were burned, and I hope the doctors can fix them so he can be like other children."

Shallot is a 28-year-old female farmer living in Southwestern Uganda. Her husband and three stepsons live on a small piece of land, where they raise crops to support themselves. The income generated from their farm helps pay for school tuition from her stepsons. Ten years ago, Shallot began to experience troubling symptoms, including substantial swelling around her neck. The village where Shallot lives is very remote, taking over two weeks for her to travel in order to seek medical care. However, six months ago, her symptoms worsened. She started experiencing neck stiffness and numbness and began having difficulty speaking and breathing. She visited several different health facilities. After multiple tests, she was diagnosed with an enlarged thyroid gland with nodules within it. Surgery was recommended, but Shallot was unable to move forward with the procedure due to a lack of funds. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is helping Shallot receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on January 24th at AMH's care center, where surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. The procedure will cost $252 and dramatically improve Shallot's life. Shallot says, “I need your support, and I hope my health will get better after surgery.”

Maureen is a hard working stay-at-home mother. She is a beautiful and ever-smiling mother of eight from Kiambaa in Kiambu. She is currently unemployed due to medical issues after having a C-section to deliver her last born in 2020. In November Maureen tripped and fell in her house while going about her daily chores. She felt excruciating pain in her left hand and was taken to a hospital in Ruaka. An x-ray confirmed a fracture on her left arm and she was recommended surgery in order to heal her condition. She is in a lot of pain and cannot use her left hand. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, can help. On December 1st, Maureen will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. She will heal well and be able to use her hand again. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,049 to fund her procedure. “I am glad there is the hope of treatment. The thought of being unable to use my left hand to go about my daily chores scares me,” Maureen remarked with a glimmer of hope in her eyes.