Anthony, who is 14 years old, lives with his parents and seven siblings in Kenya. His parents make charcoal to earn a living for the family, but their situation has been made more difficult by the inter-communal war in their area, which has forced the family to move on several occasions in order to find safety. Anthony was diagnosed with anorectal malformations at birth. He had surgery to correct the blockage and did well for a few months, but the blockage recurred. He could not pass stool as he had done before, but his parents could not afford to take him back to the hospital. His stomach started to increase in size and has grown over the years. Over time he completely lost the ability to move his bowels and stopped going to school. Late last year the county government social worker heard of Anthony's situation and contacted the family. She was able to finance their transport to the hospital for Anthony to be examined. As a result of the examination, it was determined that Anthony required surgery urgently. Anthony is now scheduled for a colostomy on February 15th at BethanyKids Kijabe Hospital. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is seeking $1,152 to cover the costs of this life-saving procedure. Anthony’s Aunt said: “It pains us that Anthony has to go through this. We really hope that he will be treated and go back to school.”

Choury is a shy, 18 year old girl living with her widowed mother in Kandal province in Cambodia. Her brothers are all married and live away from home, while her mother works as a rainy day rice farmer. In her free time, Choury enjoys playing tennis, swimming, cooking, listening to music, and meeting with her friends. Since Choury was about three months old, she has had problems with her mouth. For the past ten years, she has had frequent infections, accompanied by fevers, near her left ear, and stiffness near her temporomandibular joint - which connects the jaw to the skull. Because her father has passed away, her mother has not been able to afford any medical care for Choury. Choury is unable to open her mouth, which makes it difficult for her to eat and drink, and she always wears a mask due to her low self-esteem resulting from her face and frequent infections. Choury has been diagnosed with recurrent ankylosis and chronic osteitis. The ankylosis - and the constant inflammation in her jawbone - cause severely limited jaw function, as well as oral hygiene and nutritional problems. Fortunately, our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. They plan to do surgery on December 6th at Kien Khleang Rehabilitation Centre. Her family needs help with the $469 cost of her surgery and hospitalization. After surgery, Choury hopes she will be able to open her mouth, to speak better, and to no longer feel ashamed of her appearance. Choury said: "I hope the doctors can help me open my mouth better, and look like other people my age. I am embarrassed at work and feel poorly. I have not been able to eat real food. This would make me very happy."

Giripina is an elder from Uganda who had eleven children- three of whom are still living. She is a small-scale farmer alongside her husband, who also practices carpentry. During her free time, Giripina enjoys spending time with her grandchildren. One month ago, Giripina began to experience uncomfortable symptoms, including a bulging abdomen. She continued with her activities at home, hoping that the condition would go away on its own. When the symptoms intensified, she was referred to a hospital where she was diagnosed with partial intestinal obstruction. The doctors recommended surgery given that, if left untreated, Giripina could develop worsened obstruction, gangrene, intestinal perforation, sepsis, or death. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Giripina with this life-saving treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a curative laparotomy on March 10th. This procedure will cost $297, and Giripina and her family need your support. Gripina says, “I pray for a successful surgery. I hope to get well so that I may be able to continue taking care of myself and my family through farming.”