Natukunda is a teenager who had to drop out of school after 6th grade due to lack of school fees. His parents separated when he was very young and he has been raised by his grandmother. Having dropped out of school, he decided to find employment in Rukungiri town; first taking care of animal farms and later working in a rice plantation. In January 2019, Natukunda developed a small swelling on his right iliac fossa. The swelling kept on expanding as time went on. He decided to leave everything he was doing in Rukungiri and returned home to his grandmother's house. Due to his persistent pain, Natukunda could no longer work. He did not seek medical attention anywhere due to lack of money, but his uncle found out about his situation and decided to bring him to Watsi's Medical Partner Care Center Rushoroza Hospital to seek medical advice. At Rushoroza Hospital, Natukunda presented with a long-standing history of on and off right inguinal scrotal swelling and if not treated through herniorrhaphy, it may get obstructed, strangulated and gangrenous. Natukunda’s father lives in Mitiyana district and works in a tea factory but does not provide support to him. His mother runs a small bar of beers, sodas, and a few other soft drinks in Muhanga, and she tries to support him once in a while. Natukunda says, “I will be able to do any income-generating activity such as being a porter on construction sites, farming, and many others jobs after my treatment. I will be able to take care of myself again.”

Rin is a 49-year-old rice farmer from Cambodia. He and his wife have been married for 20 years, and have two children together. His wife works in a factory, and his children are all in school. He works long hours, and raises chickens for additional income. He enjoys cooking for his family in his free time. Rin had a work accident and has an open fracture on left forearm. He went to a local hospital for an open reduction internal fixation and skin graft, but the surgery did not help him feel better. He has now come to Watsi's Medical Partner CSC because the fracture is still impacting him in a challenging way. He cannot use his fingers and has pain when he tries to work with this hand. One year ago, he was dragged under a vehicle and fractured his left forearm. He went to a local hospital and was operated on, but the fracture did not heal properly. He still experiences chronic pain from his injury, and he cannot move his hand. His family has lost their primary source of income since he cannot work, and he is worried about being able to support them. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. On June 3rd, Rin will undergo a fracture repair procedure, which will cost $465. After the surgery, he will be able move his wrist and hand, and return to work. Rin said, "I am proud of my work and I want to work so I can support my family. My hand is in pain all the time, but I really hope that this surgery is enough for me to keep working."

Nwe is a 36-year-old woman from Burma. She lives with her family in Thingangkuun Township in Yangon Division. Nwe works as a seamstress at home while her husband works in a factory. In her free time, Nwe likes to play with her nephew who lives close by and also loves to watch movies at home. Nwe was diagnosed with a heart condition that involves a malformation of the mitral valve, the valve between the left atrium and left ventricle. This valve controls the flow of blood, but certain conditions may cause blood to flow backward or the valve to narrow. Currently, Nwe experiences tiredness especially when she walks for longer periods of time. If she feels tired, she also experiences heart palpitations. Sometimes, she also suffers from dizziness. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund a mitral valve replacement for Nwe. The treatment is scheduled to take place on March 24th and, once completed, will hopefully allow her to live more comfortably. Nwe shared, “I feel stressed about my condition. I am afraid to have surgery but there is no other option. I hope that after I have fully recovered from my surgery, I will be able to work as seamstress again.” Nwe’s husband is also worried for her and he has had to take time off from work to accompany her to all her appointments. He said, “I get paid daily for my work and if I do not work regularly then I have less income. Before, we were able to save some money from our work but since my wife was diagnosed with a heart problem and started to see the doctor for tests and medications, we can no longer save any money.”