Tibafumura is a rural farmer from Uganda. She is a mother of three and shared that she lost her fourth born who was just one-year-old at the time. Her husband passed away fifteen years ago. He left his family a three-room semi-permanent house for shelter. She has managed to pay school fees for her children through farming and selling off some of her domestic animals. All of her three children are married, two of them are primary school teachers while the other one is still searching for a job. She receives minimal financial support since they too have their personal challenges in meeting their families' needs. Tibafumura starting feeling abdominal pains years ago. She visited different clinics and received tablets to relieve her pain. A scan at Rugarama Hospital showed that she had uterine fibroids but could not have the surgery due to lack of financial support from her family. She has now come to Watsi's Medical Partner Care Center Rushoroza Hospital to seek medical advice. At Rushoroza, she presented with a history of lower abdominal pains that have become progressively severe and reports to have taken medication without improvement. If her fibroids are not treated, pain could stop her from doing her day to day survival activities and her quality of life would be affected negatively. Tibafumura likes grazing her cows whenever she gets free time but she no longer does this due to her severe pain. She has completely stopped farming since she cannot climb hills or walk long distances to go to the fields. She cannot afford the surgery charges and seeks financial support. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $228 to fund Tibafumura's surgery. On October 7th, she will undergo gynecological surgery at our medical partner's care center. Once recovered, Tibafumura will be able to resume her daily activities free of pain and her quality of life will improve. Tibafumura says, “My family cannot afford the surgery charges and I am in a lot of pain. I will resume farming as soon as possible to be able to support and take care of my family.”

Arinda is a 20-month-old baby from Uganda and the only child to his parents. His mother is a roadside trader who sells onions, tomatoes, and fresh beans. His father is a bicycle mechanic and they live together in a single-roomed rental house deep in the village. Since birth, Arinda has had an inguinal scrotal hernia. Arinda is in pain and if not treated, it may result in intestinal tissue damage. Fortunately, on September 8th, he will undergo hernia repair surgery at our medical partner's care center. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $230 to fund Arinda's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably and confidently as he grows up. Arinda's mother says, “I hope that by surgery my child will get well to have proper growth like all the others.”

Sun is a 60-year-old farmer from Cambodia. Sun is married with three sons, four daughters, and 11 grandchildren. She lives with her husband and her daughter. Sun enjoys listening to monks pray on the radio. Five years ago, Sun developed a pterygium in her right eye, causing her irritation, tearing, itching, and burning. Pterygiums are non-cancerous growths of the conjunctiva, a mucous layer that lubricates the eye. The growths occur when the conjunctiva is exposed to excessive sun damage and the cells grow abnormally over the pupil. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, working, and going anywhere outside. When Sun learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for four and a half hours with her daughter seeking treatment. Sun needs a surgical procedure to remove the abnormal conjunctiva from the cornea surface and replace it with a conjunctival graft to prevent recurrence. The total cost of her procedure is $216. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care for two days. The procedure is scheduled for November 16th. Sun shared, "I hope my eye will get better after surgery so I can go outside easily on my own."