Leonard is a 14-year-old boy from Mpanda, Tanzania. Leonard's parents manage a small farm that provides their family with food. They also take on various additional jobs during the day, including helping on other people's farms, washing clothes, and cleaning yards, to support their family. Despite their hard work, Leonard's parents have a hard time supporting their five children and Leonard's grandparents. Leonard was diagnosed with genu varus, a condition where his legs bow outwards. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, which often stems from contaminated drinking water. Due to his condition, Leonard has difficulty walking and participating in daily activities. However, as a result of financial constraints, Leonard's family has been unable to seek treatment for him. An outreach team directed by our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), visited Leonard's village and spread the news about available treatment for genu varus. As a result, Leonard's parents were motivated to seek treatment for their son at AMH's care center. AMH is requesting $880 to fund corrective surgery for Leonard. Leonard's procedure is scheduled for June 6th. This treatment will reduce the discomfort in his legs, restore his mobility, greatly decrease his risk of future complications, and allow him to resume his daily activities. Leonard says, "I am glad that after a long wait, I get to have treatment that will make my legs better. I can't wait to enjoy playing soccer with my friends and helping my parents at the farm."

Ly is a retired car mechanic from Phnom Penh, Cambodia. His family includes four sons, two daughters, and eleven grandchildren. He lives in the city with his wife and youngest daughter, who works in a local restaurant. Ly enjoys passing his time tinkering with cars and keeping up with current events on his phone. About two years ago, Ly developed a cataract in his right eye, causing him to experience photophobia, tearing, and blurry vision. He has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so he cannot go places on his own. He is also frustrated because he is unable to ride his motorbike or read the news on his phone due to the difficulty in viewing the screen. Fortunately, our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), can help. On May 11th, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in his right eye. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. CSC is requesting $253 to fund this procedure. Ly contributed $100 to his care. Ly shared: "After surgery, I hope I can see better, take care of myself and not worry about my eye anymore."

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.”