Balihabuka is 16 years old, and lives in Uganda with his family. Balihabuka is a Senior Three student in secondary school. Balihabuka came to our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), with swelling and pain in his groin. He was diagnosed with acquired hydrocele, which causes pain and difficulty walking. “When he was still in Primary School and before he fell sick, he was doing well in athletics especially running long races and he used to get many awards,” AMHF says. “He was also very interested in football. Because of the pain he no longer plays; he only watches his friends play. In the future he wants to become a medical doctor.” For $215, AMHF will treat Balihabuka’s condition with hydrocele repair surgery. “We expect that after the treatment, Balihabuka will no longer be in pain and the swelling will be gone,” his doctor says. “If I get an opportunity to get treatment, I hope to resume my athletics and work hard to become a doctor as well,” Balihabuka says.

“About two and a half years ago, Turyaingana noticed two swellings in his inguinal region as he was lifting sacks of dried food in a store,” says our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). 53-year-old Turyaingana runs a business in his home country of Uganda, and also works as a farmer to generate income to support his wife and seven children. “Income from farming is not stable because it depends on the season and good timing,” AMHF says. “Sometimes he puts in a lot of energy but gets very poor yield.” Due to his pain and swelling, Turyaingana’s work schedule has become even more irregular. AMHF diagnosed him with an inguinal hernia, and he needs surgery to fix the condition. “Turyaingana decided to stop working in a store and started digging,” AMHF continues. “He is currently unable to carry heavy stuff or climb a hill where his gardens are. He has never gone to a hospital but has been using herbs. After being on herbs for a long time and not experiencing any positive change on the swelling Turyaingana went to the hospital, but he couldn’t afford to pay for treatment.” For $220, we can fund Turyaingana’s hernia repair. Not only will he be able to return to work, but “the risk of intestinal obstruction, incarceration or/and strangulation will also be eliminated,” AMHF says. “Thank you for being thoughtful of the poor,” Turyaingana told AMHF.