Rabecca is a single mother of two children from Malawi. She works as a household helper and sometimes she gets support from her daughter who does business selling firewood. Rabecca likes chatting with children and enjoys eating nsima, a local porrdige, served with fresh fish. For four years, Rabecca has been experiencing a growing lower abdominal distention which was easily mistaken for pregnancy and was associated with pain and dizziness. This affected her day-to-day activities, reducing her income. She visited our medical partner's care center, Partners in Hope Medical Center, and a scan was done. Rabecca was diagnosed with uterine fibroids and needs to undergo a hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,363 to fund Rabecca's surgery. On August 21st, she will undergo gynecological surgery, and once recovered, Rabecca will be able to resume her daily activities free of pain. Rabecca said, “I will be a very happy woman after going through surgery to get rid of the disturbing symptoms for me to concentrate on my job as a maid and continue supporting my children as a single mother.”

Muk is a 46-year-old woman from Cambodia. She is married and has four sons and seven grandchildren. She lives in the capital city of Phnom Penh with her husband and youngest son, who is a high school student. Muk sells pork for a living and, in her free time, likes to watch the news and check her social media. About two years ago, Muk developed a pterygium in her right eye, causing her itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. Pterygiums are non-cancerous growths of the conjunctiva, a mucous layer that lubricates the eye. The growths occur when the conjunctiva is exposed to excessive sun damage, and the cells grow abnormally over the pupil. As a result, she has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, working, and going outside. When Muk learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), she traveled for an hour seeking treatment. Muk needs to undergo a surgical procedure to remove the abnormal conjunctiva from the cornea surface and replace it with a conjunctival graft to prevent recurrence. This surgery costs $225, which covers all medications, supplies, and inpatient care for two days. Muk will undergo surgery on August 7th. She contributed $50 to her care. Muk shared, "I hope I can have surgery and go back to my life without worrying and be able to do my job better."

Generious is an outgoing, articulate, and confident lady in her 50s from Uganda. She has been a widow for the last 18 years but has managed to raise and support all her children with the income she earns from farming. She is a mother to four children: three daughters and one son. Two of her daughters are married and work as teachers, while the youngest is still in school. Her son is a farmer. Education was not highly valued in their generational era, so Generious did not receive any formal education. In her free time, she is often at home engaged in domestic chores such as cooking, cleaning, and washing. Her primary source of income is farming, where she predominantly grows food crops to feed her family and sells the surplus for additional income. Generious sought medical attention due to a swelling on her left leg, which she has been experiencing for a year. This condition causes numbness and tingling, paralysis, and pain when walking. After consulting with a doctor, she was advised to undergo a scan, which revealed a ganglionic cyst. The recommended treatment is excision; however, she is unable to raise the funds needed for the surgery and, therefore, appeals for your support. Generious traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On November 22, surgeons will remove the mass. Now, Generious needs help to raise $137 to fund this procedure. Generious says, “I am passing through a lot of pain but hope with your support, I will be operated on and will surely get well.”

Fausta is a 76-year-old mother from Uganda. She works as a small-scale farmer. Her husband died in 2021 and left her an old three-room mud house for shelter. All of her children ended their education after primary school class seven due to limited financial support except the youngest, who has proceeded to attain a diploma in teaching. He is 36 years old and a secondary school teacher. Fausta receives minimal support from her children. For five years, Fausta has had an epigastric hernia. She developed a small swelling above her navel that has grown over time. It was painless at first, but as more time passed, she started feeling pain and decided to seek medical attention. She can no longer carry on with her daily activities comfortably or put on tight clothes because she feels pain when anything touches the area. Surgery has been recommended, and fortunately, our medical partner African Mission Healthcare (AMH) can help. Fausta is scheduled to undergo hernia repair surgery on August 18th. AMH is requesting $170 to fund the surgery. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow her to live more comfortably and confidently. Fausta says, “I pray that I may get well through surgery. I will continue with farming after complete recovery.”

Edward is a hardworking father who practices small-scale farming together with his wife. They have 4 children who are all in primary school. They live in a brick house with 2 rooms, and their main source of cooking energy is firewood. Edward attended school up to primary class 3, and he could not proceed due to a lack of school fees. Edward has had a hydrocele for the past year. It started as a small painful swelling in his groin area. He decided to see a doctor after noticing blood in his urine. In addition to the swelling, he has had episodes where it is very difficult for him to use the restroom. He also feels uncomfortable while walking and can no longer walk long distances. His farming productivity has been compromised in his current condition. Fortunately, our medical partner African Mission Healthcare (AMH) can help. On September 4th, he will undergo hernia repair surgery. Edward needs help raising $170 to fully fund the surgery. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably and confidently. Edward says, “After treatment, I will continue with farming which will help me meet my family’s cost of living.”