Scovia is 58 years old and a mother of nine from Uganda. When she was 10, she lost both of her parents within a short period, leaving her and her siblings to be raised by their grandmother. She and her husband depend on farming as the family’s main source of livelihood. They primarily grow food crops such as beans, maize, and potatoes for household consumption and sell any surplus produce to generate income for her family’s needs. Twenty years ago, Scovia began to experience troubling symptoms, including a swelling at the front of her neck. Because the swelling grew slowly and was not painful, she did not initially seek medical attention. However, about a month ago, she began experiencing shortness of breath, difficulty swallowing, and increasing breathing difficulties. Concerned about her worsening condition, she sought medical care at a nearby hospital where she was diagnosed with a goiter, an abnormal enlargement of the thyroid gland. The thyroid is the gland located in front of your neck and produces thyroid hormones. These hormones are responsible for functions such as metabolism, growth, and other bodily functions. She needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Scovia receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on November 2nd. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $252, and she and her family need help raising money. Scovia says, “This has never been painful, but recently, I couldn’t breathe. Am always catching my breath and can’t do anything about it because of limited finances. I kindly appeal to you for support to have my surgery so I can continue farming and keep my children in school.”

Koemleng is a 26-year-old rice farmer from Cambodia. She lives with her husband, a factory worker, and their four-year-old son. In her free time, Koemleng enjoys listening to music. In January 2026, Koemleng was involved in a motor vehicle accident that caused fractures of her right leg. She underwent fracture repair surgery, but the surgical site on her shinbone later got infected. The infection has been causing ongoing challenges with her leg, including stiffness, limited movement in her right knee, tingling and a foot drop. When Koemleng learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for five hours seeking treatment. On September 16th, surgeons at CSC will perform a debridement procedure to remove damaged and infected tissue from her right leg, along with removal of the implant. The treatment will help control the infection, support wound healing, and prepare her leg for further recovery. Koemleng is contributing towards her treatment, but needs help to fund an additional $412 for the procedure. She said, “I hope the surgery will help clean the infection from my leg and allow it to heal properly. I want to recover step by step, start walking again with physiotherapy, and return to my normal daily activities.”

Sathya is six years old and a first-grade student from Cambodia. He lives with his parents, who are rice farmers, and his older brother, who is in Grade 4. He enjoys reading and writing Khmer at school and playing with toy cars in his free time. His favorite foods are sour fish soup and oranges. For the past year, Sathya has been experiencing a sore throat, difficulty swallowing, and occasional snoring at night. These symptoms may affect his comfort during daily activities and make it harder for him to enjoy school and play. Sathya was recently diagnosed with enlarged tonsils and adenoids, which, if not treated, will cause his symptoms to persist and possibly intensify over time. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $345 to fund a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy for Sathya, which is scheduled to take place on October 20th. Surgeons will remove his tonsils and adenoids, hopefully relieving Sathya of his symptoms and helping him live much more comfortably. Sathya's father said, “I hope my son will have fewer throat problems after surgery so he can swallow and sleep more comfortably. I want him to enjoy school, play with his toy cars, and keep following his dream of becoming a teacher.”