Bekelu is 40 years old and a farmer from Ethiopia. Her husband is also a farmer, and they work hard to support their six children. One year ago, Bekelu started to experience bleeding and severe abdominal bloating. Her illness has affected every part of her life. She once worked side by side with her husband on their farm, but she can no longer do the heavy work. She also finds it challenging to cook, clean, and look after her six children the way she used to. She was a strong, independent mother, and now she depends on others for help. Her whole family lives with stress and worry about her health and their future. Bekelu was diagnosed with uterine fibroids, painful growths in her uterus. She needs to undergo a myomectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove the fibroids. She is scheduled to undergo surgery on October 5th, and our medical partner, Saglan Wajee General Hospital, is requesting $1,050 to fund her surgery. Bekelu shared, "I want to be strong again, work on our farm with my husband, and take care of my children. I don't want my family to worry about me anymore."

Sao is a 61-year-old widow from Cambodia. She has three children and lives with her daughter. Her eldest child is a rice farmer, her second child works in Thailand, and her youngest is in Grade 10. She spends her free time caring for her grandchild and growing vegetables around her home. On July 20, 2025, Sao sustained a fracture of her right femur when a car struck her from behind in a road traffic accident. She was transferred to Vietnam, where surgeons stabilized the fracture with an intramedullary locking nail. However, the bone has not united, and she continues to need treatment. The unhealed fracture causes persistent pain in her right thigh and makes walking difficult. She relies on crutches and feels unstable when moving around, limiting her ability to carry out daily activities and care for her grandchild comfortably. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. On October 20th, Sao will undergo a fracture repair procedure, which will involve bone grafting at the fracture site, removal of the cerclage wires, and removal of the proximal screw to allow dynamization of the nail. These steps aim to encourage bone healing and improve stability in her right leg, helping her gradually regain more comfortable mobility. She can contribute $35, but needs help raising $550 more to fund her procedure and care. Sao's daughter said, “I worry about my mother because she is still in pain and struggles to walk after her accident. I hope this surgery helps her bone heal so she can walk more steadily, feel less pain, and return to her daily activities.”

Maurine is a 36-year-old widowed mother of two children. In 2022, she experienced a sudden and unexpected change that would alter her life. Without warning, she lost the ability to hear. At first, Maurine struggled to understand what was happening. Simple conversations became difficult, and communicating with her children was no longer easy. She could not hear when they spoke to her, and responding to their needs became increasingly challenging. In December 2022, she went to AIC Kijabe Hospital for a medical review. After assessment, the doctors recommended hearing aids to help her regain the ability to hear and communicate. A well-wisher paid for one hearing aid, which made communication easier, including with her children. Sadly, in 2025, the hearing aid stopped working. Gradually, Maurine began withdrawing from those close to her. She works as a house help, but her hearing loss also began to affect her ability to earn a living. In January this year, she returned to the hospital, where she was advised to obtain new hearing aids, but the cost was far beyond what she could afford. Still hoping for a solution, she returned to hospital in August, hoping she would find help. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping her find treatment. On Sept 9th, Maurine will be fitted with hearing aids. For Maurine, this would mean much more than the ability to hear sounds again. It would mean being able to communicate with her children. It would mean understanding her employer, and it would mean reconnecting with family and friends, regaining her confidence, and no longer living in isolation. Now, Maurine needs help to fund this $1,171 procedure. She says: “I wish to hear again, so I can communicate more confidently with my family and friends."