Katebalirwe is a farmer from Uganda. He is married and a father of five children. For many years, Katebalirwe has had a hydrocele, which is a swelling in a sensitive area. This condition causes him discomfort and pain and is affecting his ability to work. Fortunately, on May 9, he will undergo hydrocele repair surgery at our medical partner's care center. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $185 to fund Katebalirwe's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably and confidently. He says, "After surgery I will continue with farming."

Meet Jostin, an eight-month-old boy who lives with his family in the highlands of Guatemala. Jostin is malnourished. He is far below the normal size for his age, and is prone to frequent sickness due to a weakened immune system. As a result, he has a poor appetite, is often dangerously dehydrated and has lost considerable weight. Jostin's mother is his primary caregiver, while his father works in the fields. While both parents work hard and do the best they can to provide for Jostin, they don't earn enough money to afford the basic elements of a daily balanced diet: eggs, fruit and vegetables. If Jostin lets his malnutrition go unchecked, he could face serious consequences down the line, such as a low IQ, diabetes, obesity and heart disease. Luckily, there is a way to help. For $512, Jostin can receive growth monitoring, micronutrient and food supplementation and deworming medication. When Jostin receives treatment, he will likely gain weight, grow taller and catch up with other children his age. His immune system will grow stronger with the increased caloric intake, preventing him from having any more life-threatening situations with diarrhea, fevers and cough. His parents will also receive support to feel empowered to give Jostin the diet he needs to grow and develop healthily. Intervention now will help prevent any future devastating effects of malnutrition, and will give Jostin the chance to live a healthy and productive life.

71-year-old Lawrence lives in a village in Malawi. For the past year, Lawrence has been experiencing negative symptoms from his enlarged prostate. He has been having difficulty urinating without pain or working with his garden. To treat his painful condition, Lawrence needs a prostate resection, which is a surgery to remove a part of the prostate gland. A successful surgery will allow Lawrence to urinate comfortably and live his life without pain. The procedure costs $742, and he will be able to receive treatment from our medical partner, World Altering Medicine (WAM). Lawrence shared, "I will be very happy to have the surgery because I will return to normal daily life."

This is Ngae, a 58-year-old widow from Burma who has three daughters and two sons. Ngae sells a variety of vegetables to support her family, making about $2-4 a day. With a daughter married and living in Bangkok, Ngae works hard to put her young son through school and manage the rest of the family as well. Starting in November of 2015, Ngae’s health began to limit her ability to carry vegetables in a basket and sell her goods by the roadside. Our medical partner, Burma Border Projects (BBP) shares that at one point while selling corn, she suffered an unexpected uterine prolapse. For quite some time, Ngae has been ignoring her prolapsed uterus due to an inability to pay for, or access, treatment. But now, she is experiencing back pain, lower abdominal pain, and frequent urination. With $1,500, Ngae will receive the surgical treatment she requires, which may include a hysterectomy (removal of the uterus) or repairs to prevent her uterus from falling out. Surgery will better illuminate a solution to her health condition through examination of the pelvic or apical reattachment ligament points. Pelvic examinations, blood work, and post-surgery respite are all included. BBP expects that Ngae will be able to return to her normal routine. Ngae says, “I want to have the surgery as soon as possible and I hope that my surgery will be successful. I want to return to selling vegetables on the roadside.”

Meet Alefa, a 57-year-old woman from Malawi. “Alefa is a housewife with eight children. She depends on farming cassava to earn a living,” shares our medical partner, World Altering Medicine (WAM). Alefa was recently diagnosed with a brain tumor. WAM tell us the tumor causes her to experience severe headaches and poor sight. Because of her condition, Alefa requires constant support. $1,500 will fund a resection of the brain, removing the tumor so that normal brain tissue can continue to grow. The funding Alefa receives will also ensure that she receives post-surgical monitoring in the ICU along with medications and further brain imaging. “Alefa says she will be very grateful if she finds well-wishers to support her to have surgery, so that she can get back to normal,” shares WAM.

Sabianca is an eight-month-old baby from Haiti, and the first born in her family. Her mother is 29 years old, and attends school with the dream of becoming a doctor. “[Sabianca's mother] lives with her family and is not working; she explains that her family is poor," says our medical partner, Project Medishare (PM). “Sabianca was normally born and healthy when after two months, her head started swelling and getting abnormally large,” PM explains. A CT scan revealed that Sabianca has hydrocephalus. Hydrocephalus is condition that affects the brain. It is produced by a blockage of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain ventricles. These enlarged ventricles cause the brain to swell and thin. $1260 will fund the treatment Sabianca needs to treat her condition. The treatment includes placing a shunt in her brain to allow the cerebrospinal fluid to drain, so that her head will return to normal size. Without this intervention, Sabianca will have difficulty reaching developmental milestones. This procedure will have a "direct positive impact on the little girl's life," PM continues. "After the treatment the baby will be healthier and live a good childhood."

Meet Aung, an eight-year-old boy from Burma! Our medical partner, Burma Border Projects (BBP), tells us, "Aung really enjoys school and likes studying; he says that he would like to become an eye doctor when he grows up.” Aung has been fighting cancer and previously had his eye removed to prevent tumor spread. The tumor has now spread to his eye socket and needs to be removed. "The tumor currently causes Aung physical and mental discomfort," BBP explains. "After his eye was removed it was hoped that his condition would improve, however, the spread of the tumor has been very difficult for him and his mother. It is physically painful and also causes him a headaches and becomes tired easily." For $1,500, Aung will receive the necessary surgery to remove the tumor. Aung’s mother says, “I really want my son to continue with his education – I never had the opportunity and have had to work a physically difficult job my whole life. I am completely determined to get him treatment no matter how many surgeries he needs.” Let’s help Aung get healthy again!

"Esperanza is a Kaqchikel speaking woman from a remote community where we work," Wuqu' Kawoq (WK) tells us about this 29-year-old woman from Guatemala. "She is a weaver, producing beautiful textiles, mostly for use in the home." "She came to see us with symptoms of abdominal pain and bloating," WK writes. "After a workup, it turns out that she has ovarian cancer. However it is at an early stage, which means that with a combination of surgery and chemotherapy, it will be likely curable." $1475 will cover the cost of chemotherapy which Esperanza needs right now. "I'm happy to have found help for my condition, and I trust in God that things will turn out well," this optimistic young woman tells the WK team. Let's fund Esperanza's care and help WK take care of the rest.