Four year old Neserian lives with his family in a village in the Manyara region of Tanzania. The family has long depended upon agriculture and livestock keeping to sustain them. However, climate change has shadowed their agricultural activities, rendering them increasingly unreliable. Consequently, Neserian’s father has turned to selling cattle to support his household. But drought has led to the cattle being unable to feed properly, so that they fetch considerably less money at the market. Neserian's father works hard to meet the needs of his family. In October 2022, Neserian was alone at home, when he ventured too close to an open flame. His clothing caught fire, and he suffered burns to his right elbow and wrist. The neighbors came to his aid, and when his mother returned home, she brought him to a local hospital for care. Neserian remained at the hospital for a month. Despite the care that he received, Neserian has only a limited range of motion of his right arm. Sadly, the local hospital lacks the resources to address this. Neserian and his father traveled for nine hours to consult with doctors from our medical partner's care center the Plaster House NGO. After a thorough assessment, it was determined that Neserian would need to undergo a Z-plasty procedure, to release his right axilla and elbow, along with a full thickness skin graft on his right hand. The pinky on his right hand will need to be amputated. The surgical procedures are set for August 15th but the cost of treatment is beyond the means of Neserian's family, prompting them to appeal for your assistance in covering the $1,088 needed for Neserian's care. After he has healed completely, Neserian will be able to use his hand, and lead a full life, free from disability. Neserian’s father says: “We wish for him to be able to use his hand because he is about to start school, and we are worried it will be hard for him as his right hand is the one affected.”

In, who is 73 years old, is a widowed, retired rice farmer, living alone in Kampong Cham province in Cambodia. Her two sons live nearby, and help support In with their income from working in a rice mill. Her daughter also lives nearby, and helps In with household chores. In's greatest joy is her four grandchildren, for whom she loves to cook. Around ten years ago, In developed a pterygium in her right eye, causing her constant itchiness, redness, and watery eyes. Pterygiums are non-cancerous growths of the conjunctiva, a mucous layer that lubricates the eye. The growths occur when the conjunctiva is damaged due to excessive exposure to the sun, causing cells to grow abnormally over the pupil, resulting in impaired vision. When In learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for three hours seeking treatment. In needs a surgical procedure to remove the abnormal conjunctiva from the surface of the cornea, which will be replaced with a conjunctival graft, to prevent a recurrence. The procedure, which will cost $225, is scheduled for July 3rd at Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre. Children's Surgical Centre is requesting your help to cover the costs of In's medications, supplies, and inpatient medical care for two days. In shared: "I want to be able to leave my house and not feel scared of the sun, or not seeing clearly on my way to the pagoda to pray."

Hellen is a nine-year-old girl who is approaching grade one. She is one of nine siblings, three of whom share the same congenital condition of clubfoot. Both of her parents are farmers. They cultivate maize and millet for food and sell the surplus to earn money for other expenses. Unfortunately, Hellen’s father, who is advancing in age and has clubfoot, cannot work extended hours. Therefore, his mother toils diligently on the farm to ensure they yield sufficient harvests. Hellen has clubfoot on her left foot and, fortunately, Hellen's family visited our medical partner's care center, the Plaster House NGO. There, the team began clubfoot treatment on October 6th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $935 to fund Hellen's clubfoot repair. After treatment, she will use night casts to aid in her full recovery and later be able to walk comfortably. She did not receive treatment as a baby because of her parents' lack of knowledge about the condition and financial barriers. However, one day, a glimmer of hope emerged when Hellen’s father crossed paths with a young boy who had once faced a similar challenge but had now fully recovered. Filled with renewed hope, he inquired about how this transformation had occurred. The boy’s story revealed the existence of our medical partner's care center to Hellen’s father. Filled with optimism, he hurried home and shared this life-altering discovery with his wife. Together, they decided to bring their precious daughter and three of her siblings to The Plaster House. Hellen’s mother says: “I am glad there is a chance for my daughter to get treatment, I hope she doesn't have to live with this disability for the rest of her life.”