Niwarinda is a 27-year-old mother to a preschooler. She completed college and was trained to be a grade 3 nursery school teacher, but her profession was removed from the Ugandan professions list. She tried to open her own small business, but, unfortunately, her husband--a boda boda driver (a motorcycle taxi driver for hire)--was in an accident and they lost everything. Thankfully, her husband recovered well and he is now back at work. Six months ago, Niwarinda began to experience troubling symptoms, including night sweats, hoarseness, shortness of breath, and difficulty breathing. She was diagnosed with a goiter, an abnormal enlargement of the thyroid gland. She needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Niwarinda receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on November 29th at our medical partner's care center. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. Now, she needs help to fund this $252 procedure. Niwandida says, “I think I will get better when I receive your support to undergo surgery because I have really passed through a lot of pain for all these years.”

Busingye is a small retail shop owner. Busingye stays in a double-roomed rental house at a trading center where she uses the front room as a shop and the back room as her home with her husband and two children. She has great social skills and makes everyone laugh. Busingye holds a diploma in economics, but was unable to get a job in her profession so operates a small retail shop where she earns little profit. For some time now, Busingye has been experiencing bleeding, abdominal pain, backache, and other symptoms. She has been diagnosed with a premalignant cervical lesion and needs to undergo a hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $219 to fund Busingye's surgery. On September 27th, she will undergo gynecological surgery at our medical partner's care center. Once recovered, Busingye will be able to resume her daily activities free of pain. Busingye shared, “My doctors say if I don’t undergo surgery, it will become cancerous. This gets me worried but I hope with your support, I will be able to succeed.”

Rem is a 67-year-old widow in Kampong Chhnang province. She has four sons, two daughters, and seven grandchildren. Her husband passed away 18 years ago, and she lives alone now. Her children live far away, tending their own farms, so she doesn't get to see them very often, and she shared that she is often lonely. At home, she enjoys listening to local monks pray on the radio. One year ago, Rem developed a cataract in her right eye, causing her blurry vision, tearing and sensitive to sunlight. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so is not able to go places on her own. When Rem learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for four and a half hours seeking treatment. On January 2nd, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in her right eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $253 procedure. Rem shared: "I hope my vision improves and I can do housework, and get around easily by myself. I want to walk to the pagoda by myself."