Putsat is a 46-year-old rice farmer who is married with one son, five daughters, and five grandchildren. Putsat lives with her husband who is a farmer and with her youngest daughter who is still a student. Pusat likes to watch movies, play with her grandchildren, and watch the news on the TV. Four years ago, Putsat developed a pterygium in her right eye, causing her to feel irritation and tearing. 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. Putsat is unable to see much beyond shadows and it has greatly limited what she is able to do. When Putsat learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), she traveled for five and half hours seeking treatment. Putsat needs a surgical procedure to remove the abnormal conjunctiva from the cornea surface and replace it with a conjunctival graft to prevent recurrence. CSC is requesting $225 to cover the procedure scheduled May 11th along with medications, supplies, and inpatient care for two days. Putsat shared, "I hope after surgery my eye will feel comfortable and I won't have any more redness or tearing. I am worried I cannot see out of my eye and want to see well to grow food for and take care of my family."

Martin is a playful and friendly young boy and the last-born in a family of six children. Martin has not started going to school yet, but his father plans to enroll him in two years. Martin's father says life has been tough for him and his family since he fell sick for most of 2020, something that he says made life for his family tough. Prior to falling ill, Martin's father was a hardworking man practicing small-scale farming to provide food for his family and was also a catechist at their local catholic church. For over a year Martin's father was moved from one hospital to another seeking treatment. Martin's parents were forced to sell most of their property to cover the resulting medical bills. In 2021, Martin's father's health returned and he was able to grow his strength back. Martin's father moved their family to another village for a fresh start. They are now slowly rebuilding their life with the hope of restoring their livelihood once more. Since then, Martin has been diagnosed with Left Genu Varus meaning his leg is bent at the knee so that they do not touch. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, which often stems from contaminated drinking water. As a result, it is difficult for him to walk. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is raising $880 to fund corrective surgery for Martin. The procedure is scheduled to take place on July 5th. Treatment will hopefully restore Martin's mobility, allow him to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease his risk of future complications. Martin’s father says, “Because of the long period I was sick I was not able to provide for my family. My son now needs treatment, but I still can’t afford the cost.”

Jane is a happy, talkative farmer and mother of ten. Jane leases out some of her lands to help provide for her children’s education since her health condition has made it too difficult for her to farm. Jane's family has recently had very hard times and she is hopeful that better days are ahead. A few months ago, Jane began to experience troubling symptoms, including difficulty breathing. She visited the hospital, where she was diagnosed with a goiter, which is an abnormal enlargement of the thyroid gland. Jane will need to undergo surgery to prevent her symptoms from worsening. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is helping Jane receive treatment. On April 12th, she will undergo a thyroidectomy, in which surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. AMH is requesting $936 to help fund this procedure. Jane shared, "The people I looked up to just perished. Kindly help me so that I may get back to work and be able to raise my other children.”