58-year-old Natchokani is a widow from a village in Dedza District in Malawi. With seven children, six of whom have passed away, she now lives with her youngest child, who is 7 years old and attending primary school. Natchokani never had the opportunity to attend school, making it challenging for her to find employment. Consequently, she relies on farming to sustain herself and her son, growing maize, beans, and groundnuts for both sustenance and income. Twenty years ago, Natchokani noticed an itch and an uncomfortable feeling in her throat whenever she was eating. Shortly after, people in her vicinity informed her of a swelling on her neck, which she eventually noticed herself. The swelling has been increasing in size over the years but she never went to seek medical help in health centers as she did not have finances to pay for treatment. Instead, she tried traditional medicine to no avail. Natchokani has continued to experience severe headaches and pain in her upper back. She struggles to swallow and sometimes has shortness of breath when she is lying down. She is unable to carry a heavy load on her head, therefore making it difficult for her to carry out household chores such as fetching water, and firewood and going to the maize mill. One day while she was visiting a patient at our medical partner's care center Nkhoma Hospital, she was seen by a surgeon who later diagnosed her with a multinodular mass, and thyroidectomy was recommended. Our medical partner African Mission Healthcare is requesting $491 to fund Natchokani's thyroid surgery scheduled for March 7th. Following the surgery, her symptoms will be alleviated, allowing her to breathe more easily and engage in her daily tasks without discomfort. Natchokani says, “I hope to receive treatment and resume life without this condition so that I can take care of my only son.”

Kuy is a 66-year-old rice farmer who lives with his wife in a rural village in Kampong Cham province. Kuy's wife, their two daughters, and their son-in-laws also work in the rice paddies. In his free time, Kuy likes spending time with family, farming vegetables in the village, and listening to monks pray on the radio. In September 2017, Kuy was in a motor vehicle accident that caused a fracture in his left leg. He went to a nearby trauma hospital and doctors fixated hardware to heal his fracture. Now, the hardware is exposed and infected. It is difficult for him to walk and he is in chronic pain. For the last few months, he has barely been able to work. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. On February 14th, Kuy will undergo a hardware removal procedure, which will cost $304. This procedure will help him walk easily again. He shared, "After surgery I hope I can work again and support my family."

Loise is the third born in a family of eight children. She's in the 5th grade and is passionate about reading. She aspires to become a doctor. Her mother is a homemaker and her father is a teacher. Loise’s clubfoot was diagnosed shortly after birth. Her left foot was turned inward and downward. Due to the lack of hospital services in their region, Loise has had to live with this condition which affects her mobility. Loise’s medical journey began with a visit to a mobile clinic where she was seen by an orthopaedic specialist. The doctor recommended that she start with serial casting, a gentle and effective treatment for clubfoot purposed to soften the tissues and realign her bones before surgery. She is presently in the hospital undergoing serial casting and needs to undergo a surgical procedure that will make it possible for her to wear shoes, walk upright, improve her self-esteem, and continue her education. Her surgery is scheduled for February 28th and her family is raising $1,224 to cover the cost of care. Loise said: “I am looking forward to walk upright without pain and continue with my education.”