Yorn is a 67-year-old farmer who lives with her husband and youngest son. She and her husband also have four other children living nearby and all work as farmers. She and her husband are preparing to retire, and she spends most of her time now visiting her children, taking care of her grandchildren, and working in a vegetable garden at her house. She also likes to listen to the monks pray on the radio. Three years ago, Yorn developed a cataract in her left eye, causing her blurry vision, sensitivity to light, and tearing. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, and going anywhere outside. When Yorn learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On August 23rd, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in her left eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $229 procedure. Yorn shared, "I still want to work for some time, and do chores at home to help my family, so I hope my eyesight can get better after surgery. I want to see my grandchildren's faces well."

Nakoyai is a 13-year-old student and the second-born child in a family of five children and lives with her parents who keep livestock for a living. Nakoyai was involved in a motorbike accident while walking to school. This left her with acquired valgus of her left foot, in which the joint of the toe closest to the ankle is bent upwards, while the others are bent downwards. She has difficulty walking and was admitted to a local hospital for almost one year, throughout which her parents spent their savings and sold most of their cattle to pay the hospital bills. Nakoyai dropped out of school after her discharge from hospital because she was no longer able to walk to her school, which was quite far from her home. One year later, she received a scholarship to join a boarding school and was brought to our medical partner's care center seeking treatment. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is requesting $880 to fund corrective surgery for Nakoyai. Treatment will hopefully restore Nakoyai's mobility, allowing her to participate in a variety of activities and greatly reducing her risk of future complications. The procedure is scheduled to take place on September 10th. Nakoyai shared, "I feel pain when I walk and I cannot play most of the sports at school because of my leg. I will be happy if my leg could be treated so that I can walk around and play like my friends.”

Mercy is a 28-year-old subsistence farmer from Malawi. She lives in a grass-thatched house with her husband and their three children. Her oldest child is nine years old and attends school, while her youngest is five years old. She and her husband also take care of her 93-year-old grandmother who depends on them. Mercy and her husband farm together and their farm produces enough food to feed the family, but not enough to sell a surplus. To supplement their income, she and her husband also work on other people's farms. In 2018, Mercy noticed a small lump on the left side of her neck. Over the years, the lump has grown and is hard and painful. After having several appointments rescheduled, Mercy finally got a scan and was referred to a lab for thyroid tests and to a surgeon. The lab tests and transportation costs have greatly impacted her family’s income, and it has taken her three years to have all of the required testing. She was finally diagnosed with an enlarged thyroid and surgery was recommended to heal her condition. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH) is helping Mercy to receive treatment. On September 2nd, she will undergo a thyroidectomy at AMH's care center. Now, she needs help raising $1,015 to fund her procedure and care. Mercy shared, "this condition is not only affecting me, but mainly my helpless 93 years old grandmother and also my family. I can no longer draw water for my grandmother and my children are too young to help. My husband is now getting exhausted combining farm work and household chores. Please assist me with this surgery so I can start helping my family again."