Julius is a 63-year-old husband, father, and grandfather from Uganda. He and his wife have together raised eight children, all of whom are now adults with families of their own. Throughout their marriage, the couple has worked hard to provide for their family despite limited resources. Julius is a small-scale farmer who grows crops that help feed the family, and generate a modest income. His wife serves as a church leader, and dedicates much of her time to supporting the community. Twelve years ago, Julius began to experience troubling symptoms, including persistent pain on one side of his body, severe pain in his chest and lower abdomen. He has lost his appetite, suffers from recurrent fevers, and has become so weak that even bending to perform simple daily activities is difficult. The worsening symptoms have greatly affected his ability to work on his farm, threatening the family's primary source of income. Julius sought medical attention at Rwibaale Hospital and was diagnosed with an enlarged spleen. Physicians recommend a laparotomy, which is a surgery that opens up the abdominal cavity to treat his condition. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $230 to fund Julius's surgery. On September 1st, he will undergo surgery at Rwibaale Health Center. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully greatly improve his quality of life. Julius says: "I hope to find relief from the pain, so I can resume my duties as a farmer, and take good care of my children."

Aminata, who is 10 months old and lives in Mali, is the fourth child born in her family. For the past five months, Aminata has been experiencing a swelling in her umbilical region, and experiencing intermittent pain. Aminata's parents brought her to our medical partner's care center, Centre de Santé de Référence (CSREF) Commune 6. Upon a thorough examination, Aminata was diagnosed with an umbilical hernia, which is a tissue bulge in the belly button area, that occurs due to a weak spot in the abdominal wall. Aminata needs to undergo a hernia repair surgery to treat her condition, and prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, Muso, is requesting $377 to fund Aminata's hernia repair surgery, which will take place on August 11th, at Centre de Santé de Référence (CSREF) Commune 6. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow Aminata to live a healthier life. Aminata's mother says: "I look forward to having my daughter recover from her illness, and to regain her health."

Almaz is a 28-year-old woman from Ethiopia. She is a homemaker and cares for her three children. Her husband is a daily laborer. Three months ago, she noticed a swelling on her leg, just right above her knee. It started to cause her pain and prevented her from doing her daily tasks. Almaz traveled to our medical partner, Saglan Wajee General Hospital, to receive treatment. On July 1st, surgeons will perform an excisional biopsy to remove the mass. Now, Almaz needs help to raise $750 to fund this procedure. Almaz shared, "I hope to finally move without the constant pain and stiffness that have kept me on the sidelines for the past three months. I hope I can stand, walk, and take care of my three children with ease."