Mekides is a 2-year-old toddler and the youngest of four who lives with her family in Ethiopia. Her father is a traditional farmer, while her mother is a homemaker. She loves milk, playing ball, and laughing with her mom and dad. She feels so happy when her dad brings home a new pair of shoes and a dress for her. Mekides was born with a birth defect called Hirschprung disease. She has an abnormally functioning segment of her bowel. This condition has been a struggle for the family to cope with. Mekides previously underwent a colostomy creation and now needs a colonic pull-through, where the diseased section of her intestine will be removed and the healthy portion will be pulled down. Doctors with our medical partner African Mission Healthcare (AMH) will perform this surgery on July 25th and are requesting $1,500 to fully fund the procedure. This surgery will help Mekides thrive with the other children in her village. Mekides' dad said “After her treatment, I believe she will heal. I will not give her the duty to do labour work as other girls have in my area. But I will educate her. I will work hard to upgrade her life and give her a quality life. I gave her to God, believing God will lead her to a better future.”

Sary is a 34-year-old man who was born and raised in the capital city of Phnom Penh, Cambodia. His mom has always worked as a cleaner, and his dad is a vegetable farmer. Sary currently lives with his younger brother but hasn't been able to work in years due to his deteriorating condition. He enjoys watching Cambodian comedy shows on television and spending time with his brother. From the age of 12, Sary and his parents noticed his spine was curved. By the age of 20, he lost some function in his right hand. He did not seek treatment due to fear of the costs. Since that time, the condition has worsened. He experiences back pain, ankle pain, and weakness in his right leg and arm. He needs a scoliosis corrective surgery to improve his function and decrease pain. He has presented to our medical partner Children's Surgical Centre (CSC) to seek intervention for his disability. Surgeons plan to do a spinal fusion with implants on August 3rd. Sary was able to contribute $100 to the cost of the surgery and needs help with the remaining $1,500, which will cover the costs of radiology, medications, surgery, and post-op physiotherapy care. Sary shared, "I hope I can walk better, not have pain, and help my brother at home."

Maria Jean is a loving mother of three from the Philippines. Maria Jean and her husband, Armando, have three children who are all studying. Armando works as a technician and earns around 216 USD a month. Maria Jean tutors other children to help with the family's expenses. She also takes care of all her children while suffering from a condition that physically limits her. Last year, Maria Jean began to experience troubling symptoms, including pain and itching, difficulty using the restroom, and blood in her stool. She was diagnosed with severe external hemorrhoids. She needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Fortunately, our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP), is helping Maria Jean receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a hemorrhoidectomy on November 25th at WSFP's care center. A portion of the cost of her treatment is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and WSFP is raising the remaining $1,285 to cover the cost of Maria Jean's procedure and care. Maria Jean shared: "This surgery will give me a second life. I will forever be grateful and indebted to the donors and people who will make this possible for me and my family."