Benina is a cheerful woman with an infectious smile, she is married and has been blessed with five children, all boys. The first two children have completed their high school education; the other two are still in high school, while the youngest is in primary school. Benina and her husband own a piece of land where they primarily cultivate potatoes for their family's consumption and sell the surplus in the market. They also sporadically work on the farms of their neighbors to supplement their little income. This year, rainfall was very inconsistent, and the couple did not have any potato produce, thereby earning no income from their land. For the past 6 years, Benina has been experiencing severe abdominal pains, bleeding, and a persistent headache. She sought medical services from a clinician, who referred her to the obstetrics and gynecology department for further review. In 2019, the symptoms became severe, and she decided to visit a nearby health facility where she was given medication and sent back home. She experienced temporary relief from the condition, but it later reappeared. Benina made the decision to come to our partner's care center, AIC Kapsowar Hospital, because the situation did not get any better. After learning about her medical history, medical test were recommended which revealed that she had a hemoglobin level below 6, which is extremely low and dangerous. She was hospitalised and underwent a blood transfusion to boost hemoglobin levels and enhance blood quality. To help her heal she needs to undergo a hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $918 to fund Benina's surgery. On November 29th, she will undergo gynecological surgery at our medical partner's care center. Once recovered, Benina will be able to resume her daily activities free of pain. Benina says, "I have endured a lot while holding out hope that I may soon recover. Day by day, the symptoms are getting worse, and I've lost a lot of blood. I'm in a terrible situation, please support me to get this operation."

Maria is a 59-year-old lady from Kenya. She is married and has six children; all grown up and working manual jobs to support themselves. Maria and her husband depend on their small farm. For over 5 years Maria has had abdominal pains, especially in the epigastric region. She has been treated many times in different hospitals. This year the pain became much worse and a scan showed a she has cholelithiasis. She came to Nazareth Hospital and our partner surgeon advised her to have a laparotomy. Unfortunately, due to hereconomic status, Maria and her family cannot manage to raise the $788 cost for this treatment. If not treated, Maria will continue to have the pain and may have more complications like pancreatitis or gall bladder obstruction. “I have stayed in pain for many years and even my children are tired of taking me to the hospital every time. I am kindly hoping to have this sponsorship so that I can be treated once and for all so that my life can be normal again. My family lives a life of struggle, we cannot make it to pay for this surgery, so I will appreciate and thank God if helped,” said Maria quietly.

Aye is a 47-year-old mother, living with her daughter in Thailand. Up until four months ago, Aye worked as a day laborer on a farm. Because she has had to stop working, Aye's daughter left school, and now works as a nanny to help support her mother. Aye's siblings have also stepped up to support their sister. Five years ago, Aye began to experience pain on the left side of her body. She also developed a fever and vomiting, lost her appetite, and found it difficult to sleep. In addition, she experienced night sweats and a stiff neck. Aye was treated by a local health worker, and for a while, she felt better. However, in June 2021, her symptoms worsened, and she went to Mae Tao Clinic (MTC), where she was told to go to the hospital. Due to a lack of funds, Aye could not go to the hospital, and was treated at a local clinic, instead. In April 2022, Aye's symptoms returned, and she went back to Mae Tao Clinic, where she was diagnosed with stones in her left kidney. This time she did go the hospital, where she was told that she would need to have surgery, to remove the stones from her kidney. Thanks to our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, Aye is scheduled for surgery to remove the kidney stones on October 3rd, at Mae Sot General Hospital. After she has recovered, Aye should be able to return to her work and to enjoying her life, free from all of her uncomfortable symptoms. Aye and her family need your help to cover the $1,500 needed to pay for her surgery. Aye said: "I am happy that I will be able to receive surgery through donors. Thank you so much for saving my life.”

Josephine is a 70-year-old mother of eight children who lives with her husband in Kenya. Although she and her husband both do some small-scale farming in her community, they depend on their children to support them. However, Josephine has recently been unable farm due to her current medical condition. Since January, Josephine has been experiencing troubling symptoms, including uncontrolled bleeding. She visited a nearby health facility in her hometown to be evaluated and was referred to a hospital for additional tests. There, she received a CT scan and a biopsy, which revealed that she has uterine cancer. Her doctor recommends that she undergo a total abdominal hysterectomy, a surgical procedure to remove the uterus, to help remove the cancer from her body and hopefully stop its spread. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), is requesting $1,260 to fund Josephine's surgery. Josephine has gathered funds to help with a copay, but the full cost of the specialist procedure is out of reach. On August 25th, she will undergo gynecological surgery at AMHF's care center, AIC Kijabe Hospital. After this procedure, she should be able to resume her life free from discomfort and bleeding. Josephine says, “Struggling with cancer at my age is scary. I can’t believe it! I hope the surgery will help to get rid of the disease.”

Khristopher is a six-year-old boy from Malawi who attends primary school. He is the fourth born in a family of five children. To support their family, his parents work as small-scale farmers. When Khristopher was one year old, he began to experience frequent stomachaches. Although his parents thought they would go away, the stomachaches persisted. At three years old, his condition worsened and swelling began to occur in a sensitive area every time Khristopher cried, coughed, or did anything strenuous. His parents shared that these symptoms worry them as they helplessly watch their child in pain due to this condition. He was eventually diagnosed with a right inguinal hernia, and his doctor referred him to a different hospital for surgery. However, due to financial constraints that prevented their family from being able to pay for transportation and medical expenses, Khristopher’s father decided to continue trying to heal Khristopher using traditional methods. For another three years, Khristopher was treated with traditional herbs. Unfortunately, these methods were not successful, and his condition persisted. His father decided to seek medical care once more, so he brought Khristopher to our medical partner's care center, Nkhoma Hospital. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), is helping Khristopher receive treatment. On August 4th, he will undergo hernia repair surgery at Nkhoma Hospital. AMHF is requesting $846 to fund Khristopher's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably and prevent future complications. Khristopher’s father says, “I have prayed and hoped for a solution to my son’s condition, and I now have faith that he will be cured.”

Yoon is a bright and loving 12-year-old girl. She lives with her mother and uncle in Karen State of Burma near the border with Thailand. She was a student in grade three but stopped studying in August 2020 when she was no longer able to walk. Yoon enjoys painting pictures and reading books. In the future, she wants to go back to school and continue her studies. She helps out her mother with household chores. Her uncle is unemployed whereas her mother is an agricultural day labourer. One day at home, Yoon fell down when she tried to stand up to go to the bathroom. Her feet felt painful and were pointing downwards. After that, she did not try to stand up again and would move around her house on her knees. Her mother would have to carry her to the bathroom. Due to their financial situation, her mother was not able to seek treatment despite being very worried for her daughter. Over time, Yoon noticed that her feet were increasingly pointing downwards and were stiff. Her legs would feel painful and were also stiff. Sometimes, she could not stretch out her legs due to feelings of tightness and pain. Her mom shared that she would cry whenever her legs pained, and she would have to wait until the pain lessened by itself. Additionally, her hands began to weaken until she could not hold food with her hands. At the same time, her speech became slurred and her voice became hoarse. On June 17, Yoon arrived at our medical partner's care center, Mawlamyine Christian Leprosy Hospital (MCLH), and was admitted that same day. She received a physical examination and was diagnosed with cerebral palsy and tightness of Achilles tendon in both of her legs. The doctor recommended she receive surgery on both of her feet, which would help her walk again, and scheduled the procedure for June 21st. When Yoon’s mother told the doctor that they cannot afford to pay for surgery, the doctor referred Yoon to Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF) for assistance accessing further treatment. Our medical partner, BCMF, is requesting $1,500 to cover the cost of an Achilles tendon lengthening procedure for Yoon. This procedure will elongate her Achilles tendon, allowing increased motion at the ankle joint. Without treatment, Yoon's condition will continue to cause her discomfort and will further limit her movement. Her mother said, “I cried almost every night when I saw my daughter in this condition. She always cried and complained about her feet. She always asked me to bring her to the hospital to get treatment. Whenever she asked me, I felt very sad and I would cry in secret. I want her to get treatment, but I cannot afford to pay for it. Due to COVID-19 and the current fighting in Burma, I cannot make enough money or save it. Often, I would only eat fishpaste and rice, but give her meat so that she can have something nutritious. When I heard that she has donors who will help her receive treatment, I felt very happy and thankful to BCMF for this kindness. I never thought she would receive such an opportunity. It makes me so happy that I do not know how to express it in words.”

Asiimwe is a 4-year-old preschooler who likes playing with his friends, especially running around where they live. He is the fifth born out of six children in his family. Both his mother and father are small scale farmers and own a four room mud house for shelter. Their family's eldest child is 15 years old and in the 7th grade, while the youngest is two years old and hasn’t yet started school. His parents are proud that all of their school-aged children are in school and doing well, however covering all the school fees from their earnings farming is challenging for them. Since about two weeks ago, Asiimwe has had bilateral inguinal hernia and right hydrocele. If not treated, the hernia could become strangulated and could result in intestinal obstruction, which can become life-threatening. Fortunately, on June 3rd, Asiimwe will undergo hernia repair surgery at our medical partner's care center. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $170 to fund Asiimwe's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably and confidently as he grows up.

Latifa is a beautiful young girl and the second born of three children. She is charming and bright, and joined the first grade earlier this year. Latifa loves to sing the vowels and to color. Latifa's father is a casual laborer working at construction sites while her mother sells deep fried cakes outside their home every morning. Latifa was diagnosed with bilateral genu varus which causes her legs bow outward at the knees. Latifa's mother says she noticed the problem when Latifa was learning to walk. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, which often stems from contaminated drinking water. As a result, she walks with a challenging gait and has exhaustion and pain. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $880 to fund corrective surgery for Latifa. The procedure is scheduled to take place on May 20th. Treatment will hopefully restore Latifa's mobility, allow her to participate in a variety of activities, and decrease her risk of future complications. Latifa’s mother shared, “My daughter is struggling to walk, and her legs get worse every day. Please help her.”

Christian, who lives in the Philippines, is a hardworking father with a 7-month-old daughter. He works as an on-call waiter, while his wife is currently a student. With Christian’s limited income, he is worried about supporting all of his family’s needs and financing his medical treatment. In April, Christian was diagnosed with a hernia which requires surgery. Correcting the hernia will better enable Christian to find a new job and higher pay, and improve his ability to care for his family. With the help of our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines, Christian is scheduled for surgery at Our Lady of Peace Hospital on May 3rd, for which they are requesting $1,130 to fund his procedure and care. “I always fail my physical exams because of my condition, and I'm burdened by it because, as a father, I need to support my family,” Christian shared. “This surgery will be a big help to our family so thank you so much World Surgical Foundation Philippines and Watsi for helping,” he added.