Queen is a sweet 11-month-old from Tanzania. She is the youngest child in her family of eight children. Queen is very curious and charming; when she was at our medical partner’s care center, she could not stop playing with the other children. Her family is from a remote part of Western Tanzania, and her parents farm maize and beans. Queen’s mother shared that the recent weather changes made it hard for them to cultivate maize, and they are now dependent on their cultivation of beans. The low harvest also means there are not enough surplus crops to sell and earn money to support the family’s basic needs. Queen has clubfoot of both feet. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape, which causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Queen’s family was able to travel to our medical partner’s care center for assistance. On February 7th, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery that will allow Queen to walk easily and wear shoes as she grows up. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is requesting $935 to fund this procedure. Queen’s mother says: “I am worried that my daughter will be so limited when she grows up. I hope she gets the treatment for her condition.”

Sombo is a 40-year-old father and street cart owner from Cambodia. He and his wife earn a living by selling beef sandwiches from their street cart. They have one son, who is in the first grade. In his free time, Sombo likes to learn more styles of cooking to make their food cart more successful. In mid-April, Sombo was in a motor vehicle accident that caused a fracture in his right knee. Consequently, it is difficult for him to walk and he is in chronic pain. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), can help. On May 2nd, Sombo will undergo a fracture repair procedure that will help him walk easily again. CSC is requesting $483 to fund this procedure. Sombo contributed $85 to his care. Sombo shared: "After surgery, I hope that the fracture will heal and I can go back to work and spend time with my son."

Brian is a caring, energetic 28-year-old man from southwestern Uganda. He and his wife have two young kids. Their youngest is in nursery school, and their oldest is in primary school class three. Brian's parents passed away, and he could only complete primary school due to a lack of school fees. He shared that he works hard so his children can thrive and complete their education, but his medical condition has limited him. Brian works as a casual laborer, while his wife works as a peasant farmer. For the past six months, Brian has had a left inguinal hernia. This condition causes him discomfort and makes lifting anything heavy or performing strenuous work impossible. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is helping Brian receive treatment. On April 4th, he will undergo hernia repair surgery at AMH's care center. Once completed, this procedure will allow him to live more comfortably and confidently. AMH is requesting $230 to fund Brian's surgery. Brian said, "I am the breadwinner of my family. In such poor health, I am unable to do anything by myself. I will need your support to regain my health to continue working hard to sustain my family."