Amilaku is a 2-year-old boy from Ethiopia who loves to play football with his mom. His mom is raising him on her own and spends her days caring for him, collecting firewood from the woods, and fetching water from springs. This work requires her to travel long distances and carry the wood and water on her back. She also sells traditional beer to earn a living; however, income from this venture is limited, so her parents support her by giving her some grains from their farm at harvest time. Since birth, Amilaku has had an inguinal hernia that causes him to have a reduced appetite, burning or aching sensations at the bulge, and experience pain and discomfort. Amilaku's mom desperately wanted to seek medical attention for her child, but the nearest health facility was three days away, and she did not have the resources to facilitate their transport. Her hopes of finding treatment for her child diminished. A social worker heard her story and communicated with BethanyKids, our medical partner's care center, who facilitated their travel and accommodation to the hospital. Happily, on December 5th, Amilaku will undergo hernia repair surgery. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is requesting $512 to fund Amilaku's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will allow him to live more comfortably and confidently. Amilaku's mom said, "I hope with this surgery, the bulge will disappear, and he will get normal and free of any complications."

Saroeun is a 51-year-old mother who lives in Banteay Meanchey province with her husband and two daughters. Her husband is a rice farmer, and she is a homemaker. Her oldest daughter is married, and her youngest daughter is in school in the10th grade. She spends most of her day keeping the house clean and cooking for the family. In her early years, Saroeun suffered from scoliosis. As a child, she fractured her left femur and has had recurrent wound infections on her left thigh ever since. Recently she was treated for tuberculosis. Her recurrent wound infection has been diagnosed as osteomyelitis, a serious infection of the bone. For several months, she has been experiencing pain, swelling, and discharge from the wound. When Saroeun learned about our medical partner Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), she traveled for six and a half hours seeking treatment. On July 19th, surgeons at CSC will perform a debridement procedure to remove damaged and infected tissue from the wound and culture the tissue. Saroeun is able to contribute $50 and needs help raising $324 to fully fund the procedure. She said, "I hope my leg will finally get better and I can feel healthy again to care for my family."

Noah is a 3-year-old boy from Tanzania. He is the second-to-last child in a family of 4 children. His family resides in a remote village known in Simanjiro, Tanzania. Noah’s mother is a homemaker and also assists her husband with agricultural activities, given that farming is their primary source of sustenance and income. Noah takes pleasure in helping others and enjoys solving puzzles alongside his friends. When Noah was merely eight months old, he was crawling around the house and ventured into the kitchen alone, just as his mother was occupied with washing chores. Inadvertently, he encountered a pan which slipped from the stove, causing hot water to spill onto the left side of his body, resulting in severe burns on his left armpit and elbow. Noah’s parents swiftly transported him to the nearest medical facility for urgent treatment. After receiving initial first aid, he was subsequently discharged with instructions for proper wound care. Despite these efforts, his wounds took two months to fully heal. Even after healing, noticeable damage to the skin remained on his left axilla (armpit) and elbow, which subsequently restricted the range of motion in his left arm, leading to his discomfort while crawling. The gravity of the situation became apparent to Noah’s parents, who were initially unaware of the necessity for further medical intervention to enhance their son’s quality of life. Noah was diagnosed with burn scar contractures affecting his left axilla and elbow. The contractures tighten the skin around the arm such that he is unable to use his hand without discomfort. Recognizing the significance of their son’s well-being, Noah’s parents humbly seek assistance to ensure he receives the requisite treatment to enhance his quality of life. Fortunately, our medical partner African Mission Healthcare (AMH) is helping Noah receive treatment. On August 14th, surgeons will perform a burn contracture release surgery to enable him to use his hand with ease and improve his quality of life. AMH needs help raising $874 to fund the procedure. Noah’s father says, “We are excited for his treatment as this condition has made him less interactive with his peers, and we are hopeful for a positive outcome from the treatment."