Liza is a happy eight-year-old girl, living in Kandal province, Cambodia. She has two older siblings - an older sister who works in a factory, and an older brother who is in grade seven. Her father recycles cans and plastic bottles, while her mother stays home to care for her. Liza was born with Down syndrome and she does not attend school, but spends her day enjoying cartoons on TV and helping her mother around the house. For the past five years, Liza has been experiencing frequent throat infections, and difficulty swallowing. She has a harder time breathing at night and does not sleep well, so she is often tired during the day. Her mother says she often cries because her throat hurts so much. Liza was recently diagnosed with enlarged tonsils and adenoids, which, if not treated, will cause her symptoms to persist and to intensify over time. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $265 to fund a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy for Liza, which is scheduled to take place on January 23rd at Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre. During this procedure, surgeons will remove her tonsils and adenoids, hopefully relieving Liza of her symptoms, and helping her to live a healthier and more comfortable life. Liza's mother shared: "We hope after surgery Liza will stop having sore throats, and it will be easy for her to swallow."

Emmanuel is a baby from Uganda. He is the last born in a family of three children. His mother is a housewife, and his father is a small-scale farmer. Their firstborn is 8 years old and in primary school class two, while the second is 5 years old and in middle junior class. They rent a single room for shelter, located within walking distance from Rushoroza hospital. One month after birth, Emmanuel has since had a right inguinal hernia. He was born via a C-section at Rushoroza Hospital under the SAFE fund. His mother reports that her son developed a small inguinal swelling and an umbilical swelling (hernia) that later disappeared. She was told to wait until he was one year old so that surgery could be done. The hernia makes him uncomfortable and irritable, and the herbs the mother has been using as treatment are no longer working. Fortunately, on March 7th, he will undergo hernia repair surgery at our medical partner's care center. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $170 to fund Emmanuel's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably and confidently. Emmanuel’s mother says, “I pray that my son may have a successful surgery so that he may live a comfortable life and grow into a big man in the future."

Thorn is a 46-year-old mother who lives with her husband and her three children. Her oldest daughter is 22 and studies at a university, her second daughter is 18 and is in secondary school, and her youngest daughter is three and does not yet attend school. She and her husband are both rice farmers in Takeo province. Her free time is taken up by cooking for her family and cleaning the house. A month ago, on the way back from the market, she was in a motorbike collision and fractured her right tibial plateau. This is an injury in which she broke her bone and injured the cartilage that covers the top end of the bottom part of her knee. She went to a local hospital where they took and X-ray but did not treat her because she had no money to pay. She is in constant pain and cannot walk. She cannot care for her children, and cannot help her husband in the rice field Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. On December 14th, Thorn will undergo a fracture repair procedure, which will cost $483. This procedure will help her walk again without pain. Thorn said: "I hope after the operation I can ride my motorbike again, have no more pain, and can take care of my family."