Chimwemwe is a single mother of three from Malawi. Chimwemwe's children stay with their maternal grandmother in Lilongwe town. She sells second-hand clothes to support her family. Early this month, Chimwemwe was diagnosed with an umbilical hernia after experiencing varied symptoms for about 13 years. She would experience abdominal pains and would get treated without much change until she gave up seeking further treatment. Her problem caused so much pain that it affected her ability to run her business and lowered her income. Chimwemwe visited our medical partner's care center, Partners in Hope Medical Center (PIH) for proper management. There, surgeons recommended that she undergo hernia repair surgery. Chimwemwe believes the surgery will help her improve and concentrate on her business. She also looks forward to living without symptoms and supporting her children as a single mother. On August 12th, Chimwemwe will undergo hernia repair surgery and our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $575 to fund the procedure. Chimwemwe happily said, “Kindly help me to get better, my children are still young, and they need me.”

Yin is a 65-year-old retired grandmother from Thailand. She lives with her husband, son, sister-in-law and granddaughter. She enjoys reading the Bible and visiting church during her free time. In February 2024, Yin noticed a small lump on the right side of her neck. She tried to treat it with traditional medicine, but the lump grew larger., Yin began to experience troubling symptoms, including pain in her neck, arm, and back, along with discomfort from the mass. She was diagnosed with goiter, an 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. Yin needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is helping Yin receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on August 10th at Mae Sot General Hospital. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $1,500, and she and her family need help raising money. Yin said, “I was worried about receiving surgery, but if I do not receive this treatment, I also worry that it will become cancer in the future. Now I am so happy to receive treatment for free, and I would like to say thank you to BCMF and Watsi. I want to be healthy because I am old, and I don’t want to cause any problems or add more work for my family.”

Mathayo is a six-year-old boy from Tanzania. He has eight siblings. His father relies on farming and livestock to support the family. They farm corn for sustenance and sell some of their surplus harvests for income. Mathayo is often quiet and tends to keep to himself. However, when he saw a real football for the first time, he became excited and asked if he could play. When Mathayo was one year old, he had an accident resulting in severe burns on his hands. These developed contractures, making it difficult for him to hold objects. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Mathayo receive treatment. On October 8th, surgeons are scheduled to perform a debridement and skin graft procedure. Following the surgery, his hands will heal and he will regain function. Now, Mathayo needs help to fund this $693 procedure. Mathayo's father added "This condition has been hard for him and made him dependent on his mother. We hope the treatment will make it possible for him to become more independent."