27-year-old Sharon lives her husband and their four-year-old daughter in Uganda. Together, they work as subsistence farmers who grow cassava, potatoes, and millet. To earn an income, Sharon's husband does casual labor in the community. During her free time, Sharon likes playing with her daughter. She is an excellent weaver, and she weaves baskets to sell in the local markets or to give as gifts to her friends. Sharon is currently pregnant with her second child. Her doctors consider her pregnancy to be high-risk. They recommend that she receive medical attention before, during, and after labor to ensure a safe delivery. On November 9, she will begin to receive supplements and attend antenatal checkups and health education classes. She will deliver her baby in the hospital, and her baby will be examined by a midwife. After birth, Sharon and her baby will be monitored by the hospital staff. $241 will fund all medical costs associated with Sharon's pregnancy, including three nights in the hospital, one postpartum visit, and four antenatal visits. Sharon and her husband are paying $4 towards medical expenses. Sharon is looking forward to having her baby and sending him or her to school. Sharon hopes to name her child “Emma,” and she hopes that he or she will love and care for the family and the community. “God bless all the people that are supporting my safe delivery," says Sharon.

Nyein is a 28-year-old woman originally from Burma. When she was a child, her mother opened a mohinga, a Burmese noodle shop. Nyein quit school after sixth grade to help her mother in the shop. When she was 18 years old, Nyein moved to Bangkok to support her mother financially. She currently works as a babysitter and housekeeper in Bangkok, living with her employer’s family. She looks after the young children, prepares food, cleans the house, and does laundry. Nyein sends most of her income home to her mother, who she visits once a year. Three years ago, she paid for her mother to undergo two cataract surgeries to restore her vision. In September of 2016, Nyein began to experience stomachaches. She took painkillers, but the pain continued. Finally, she visited a public hospital in Bangkok, where she underwent an X-ray and was diagnosed with stomach flu. Despite taking oral medication, her symptoms were alleviated only temporarily. Nyein decided to return to Burma to see her mother. There, she learned about our medical partner’s clinic, Mae Tao Clinic (MTC). When Nyein visited MTC, she was diagnosed with a benign colon tumor. She underwent a tumor removal procedure on December 19. During her free time, Nyein loves watching Thai movies and listening to Thai music on her mobile phone. She hopes that she will be fully cured so that she can return to work and continue to support her mother. For now, she needs help to pay for this $1,500 surgery.

Josphat is a 25-year-old father from Kenya. He operates a motorcycle taxi business, and his wife works at home. The family lives in a two-room house in their ancestral land. This is a relatively dry region of the country, where agriculture is unreliable. On Christmas of 2016, Josphat fell from from his motorcycle. He was not wearing a helmet, so he sustained head injuries. He was brought to our medical partner's hospital, AIC Kijabe Hospital, where he received first aid and underwent a CT scan. Since then, Josphat has experienced a headache, and his eyes have swollen. He has spent two weeks in the hospital, which has prevented him from working and providing for his family. Fortunately, he is scheduled to undergo a craniotomy and frontal fracture repair on January 6. These procedures will repair the injuries in his skull. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,495 to fund this treatment. “I want to be well," says Josphat, "and to continue to provide for my family who need me."