Yuon is a retired rice farmer and loving grandmother from Kandal province, Cambodia. Recently widowed, she moved in with her daughter and helps care for her grandchild. Her daughter and son-in-law work as rice farmers. Yuon and her daughter dream of purchasing a street cart to start making and selling traditional Cambodian cakes. In her free time, she likes cooking and praying at the nearby pagoda. About two years ago, Yuon developed a cataract in her right eye, causing her tearing and blurry vision and fear of walking up and down steps in her traditional raised village house. A cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye, so it is like looking through a frosty or fogged-up window. 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 Yuon learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for two hours seeking treatment. On April 3rd, 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. Yuon shared, "After I have surgery, I dream of a better vision. With renewed sight, I would feel safer walking around and crossing the road. I would like to take better care of my grandchild and open a business with my daughter for extra money."

Racheal is a middle-aged small businesswoman from Uganda. She is the mother of one and shared that she separated from her husband due to domestic violence. She now lives with her twenty-five-year-old daughter and her grandchild. She works hard to provide for her family. Eleven years ago, Racheal began to experience troubling symptoms, including a neck swelling. It was small and painless initially but has increased in size over the years. The swelling now causes respiratory problems, worrying Racheal. A doctor examined Racheal and diagnosed a multi-nodular goiter - an enlarged thyroid gland with separate bumps (nodules) on it. Racheal needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Racheal receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on December 8th at our medical partner's care center. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $333, and Racheal and her family need help raising money. Racheal says, “I believe with your support I will have a successful surgery with a positive outcome for my life.”

Michael is a 14-year-old boy from Kenya. He is in high school and is the only child in the family. He is being raised by his single mom, who washes clothes to earn a living. Michael was diagnosed with cryptorchidism, a condition in which one or both of the testicles remains undescended. If left untreated, Michael has an increased risk of developing hernias, testicular cancer, and fertility problems in the future. Michael will receive assistance from our medical partner, the African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). Fortunately, he is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on February 27th. AMHF is requesting $646 to cover his procedure and care costs. Michael’s mother says, “I hope my boy will get to live his full life.”