“A hardworking farmer with five out of eight children living at home, Charles and his wife, Jenny, own their own land and grow cassava, ground nuts, and millet,” says our medical partner, The Kellermann Foundation (KF). On Sundays, Charles and Jenny enjoy going to church and socializing with people from their village. Charles is a 59-year-old proud father from Uganda. “All of his children at home still attend school, which makes him very happy,” explains KF. However, for some time now Charles has suffered from a hernia and the pain has prevented him from working. A hernia is a bulge of tissue that protrudes out of a weak spot in the muscles of the abdominal wall; in Charles’s case, his hernia is located in the groin area. With $227, surgeons at the Bwindi Community Hospital will repair the hernia by pushing back the extending tissue and closing the opening with sutures. Charles will be able to return to work. “After surgery, Charles is looking forward to planning for 2016, which he has not been able to do because he hasn’t been able to work,” says KF.

"I hope after surgery I can walk again and work to support my family,” says Rin, a 36-year-old husband and father from Cambodia. Our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), tell us Rin works in a garment factory, and enjoys listening to Khmer music, and watching the news and volleyball during his spare time. On December 30th, 2013, Rin got in a motor vehicle accident, which left his left tibia, or shin bone, fractured. Even after two months of treatment from a local hospital, Rin is still in a lot of pain from the fracture. ”It is difficult for me to walk because it is painful,” shares Rin. In addition to pain, he has difficulty walking. Without treatment, not only will these symptoms persist, he risks future injuries due to improper healing. CSC can provide Rin with ORIF, open reduction and internal fixation, surgery. During surgery, his tibia will be realigned and set in place so that healing can occur properly and quickly. This procedure will cost a total of $405. “After surgery, Rin will be able to walk properly and return to work again. His left leg will not experience any more pain and redness,” states CSC.