Aye is a 33-year-old mother from Burma. She lives with her husband, mother, son, and three nephews. Aye and her mother take care of the household, while her husband works as a taxi driver and her son and nephews attend school. Her family also manages a small piece of land where they grow rice and raise livestock for their consumption and to provide additional income. In her leisure time, Aye enjoys staying updated with the news and watching movies on her phone. Aye was born with an atrial septal defect (ASD), a condition in which a hole exists between the two upper chambers of the heart. Sometimes, ASDs may close on their own during development, but sometimes, this condition requires surgery to repair the hole and prevent long-term damage to the heart and lungs. Aye is scheduled to undergo heart surgery on April 9th to correct the atrial septal defect and improve her quality of life. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to cover the cost of Aye's procedure and care. Aye said, "After I have recovered, I want to support my son to finish his education. I enjoy the routine of bringing him to school and picking him up afterward. Additionally, I have a plan to open a grocery store at home. Cooking is a passion of mine, and I love discovering new recipes online and bringing them to life in my kitchen."

Millicent is a 49-year-old businesswoman from Kenya. She came to the hospital accompanied by her daughter. Millicent resides in Nyathuna in Kiambu County. She is married and a mother of 3 children. Apart from her kids, Millicent takes care of 4 other children who were left orphaned by her sister when she died. Millicent manages a small business where she sells green groceries near her home. Her husband has been sick, which makes the family very financially vulnerable. For seven years, Millicent has been experiencing heavy bleeding and other symptoms. She has been to many health facilities and has taken medicines many times with no solution. Eventually, she went to visit our medical partner's care center Nazareth Hospital for a gynecology review. Now she has been diagnosed with multiple fibroids. If not treated, Millicent will continue to suffer as the fibroids grow. She may have complications like anemia, and they may become cancerous. She needs to undergo a hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, requests $755 to fund Millicent's surgery. On November 22nd, she is scheduled to undergo treatment and once recovered, Millicent can resume her daily activities free of pain. "For the last seven years, life has been tough for me, with my problem and the family looking up to me for their needs. I am pleading for help so that I can regain my normal life and be able to take care of my family," said Millicent.

Mao is a retired rice farmer and widow from Kampong Thom province, where she lives with one of her daughters. Her other four children and grandchildren live nearby. After retiring from decades of work in the rice paddies, Mao started to help more around the house and with childcare for her grandkids. She enjoys spending time with family, and visiting the local pagoda to pray. About six months ago, Mao developed a cataract in her left eye, causing her itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. When Mao learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), she traveled for four hours seeking treatment. On February 1st, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in her left eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $253 procedure. She shared, "I hope after surgery my eye can see better so I can do the housework easily and take good care of my grandchildren."