Phoeun, who is 52 years old, is a widow, living on her own in Kampong Speu province in Cambodia. All of her children are married, but they live close to her, and support her financially. In turn, she helps them with babysitting or cooking. In July, Phoeun was in a motorbike accident, and injured her left elbow. Because she could not afford care at the local hospital, she visited a Khmer traditional healer, who placed a bamboo splint on her upper arm. However, her fracture has not healed properly, and her elbow has become swollen and deformed. As a result of the swelling and pain, Phoeun is unable to use her hand. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. On October 24th, Phoeun will undergo a procedure on her elbow, at Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre, so that she will be able to use her arm again. Now she needs your help to raise the $485 to cover the costs of her procedure and care. Phoeun said: "After surgery, I hope that my hand can move, and I will have no pain or infection."

Lawamutwe is a 7-year-old boy from Tanzania and the youngest of five children. His father works as a cattle breeder, and his mother is a dedicated stay-at-home parent. Unfortunately, due to a prolonged drought in the region, Lawamutwe's family has faced significant challenges in the past year. Their cattle have suffered starvation, resulting in losses and reduced financial stability. Lawamutwe and his father arrived at our medical partner's care center, brought by one of their relatives who live in the city. Due to a language barrier, the team brought in a Maasai translator to facilitate effective communication. Lawamutwe's father shared that he traveled over 400 kilometers to reach the care center to find medical care for his son. After a heartfelt welcome from our team, the staff performed a comprehensive medical assessment. They determined that Lawamutwe's orthopedic condition started at the age of three. He has shown signs of bowed legs, which have progressively worsened with time. As a young Maasai boy, grazing livestock is a fundamental part of Lawamutwe's culture, but his limited ability to walk long distances prevents him from engaging with his peers during these activities. Lawamutwe was diagnosed with a condition in which his left leg is bowed outward, and his right leg is bowed inward. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, which often stems from contaminated drinking water. On June 6th, Lawamutwe will undergo surgery to help restore his mobility, allow him to participate in various activities, and significantly decrease his risk of future complications. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $880 to fund this procedure. Lawamutwe's father said: "I wish for my son to be able to go and be with his fellow boys. I hope his legs won't be a reason he is always alone."

Sabina is a 60-year-old soft spoken and social lady. She was never married and has no children. She stays with her elder sister, a farmer. Due to financial constraints, she never had the chance to attend school, but with the help of her nephews, she learned to read and write. Sabina farms for a living but due to limited land, she is able to grow little to feed and contribute to the family she stays with. Two years ago, Sabina began experiencing troubling symptoms, including neck swelling. This causes shortness of breath, pain in swallowing, difficulty in breathing and fatigue even when engaged in a small activity. Sabina was diagnosed with a non-toxic goiter, an abnormal enlargement of the thyroid gland. Sabina needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Sabina receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on September 5th at our medical partner's care center. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $252, and Sabina and her family need help raising money. Sabina says, “I hope to get well and expect and hope for a complete recovery once I am operated on.”