Phally is a 62-year-old rice farmer. She has two sons, two daughters, and seven grandchildren. Phally shared that her husband passed away a long time ago, and she lives close to her children now. In her free time, Phally likes to listen to the monks pray on the radio. Two years ago, Phally developed a cataract in her right eye, causing her itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. As a result, she has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so she cannot go places on her own. When Phally learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), she traveled for three and a half hours seeking treatment. On June 7th, doctors will perform cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in her right eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. CSC is requesting $253 to fund this procedure. Phally says, "After surgery, I hope my eye can see clearly so I can go to the rice field and help my children."

Daniel is a smart sixteen-year-old boy. He is the eldest in a family of three children and has been living with his aunt ever since he was a little boy. He joined the primary school at the age of nine and he passed his class 7 exams with flying colors. It is now getting difficult for him to walk to school due to a condition that started when he was in class six. He dreams of becoming an orthopedic doctor in the future. Daniel's aunt works as a security guard in a hospital in Arusha and her husband is a driver. They have four children of their own and they are also looking after Daniel. Daniel was diagnosed with genu valgus. His legs bow so that his knees touch. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, which often stems from contaminated drinking water. He used to enjoy playing soccer, but now he can no longer run as well as he used to. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $880 to fund corrective surgery for Daniel. The procedure is scheduled to take place on March 17th. Treatment will hopefully restore Daniel's mobility, allow him to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease his risk of future complications. Daniel shared, “There were lots of things I enjoyed doing like playing football and being able to walk and run easily, but due to my legs bending it is hard now.”

Sister Gloria is a Catholic nun with a degree in transformative education and faith. She works as a secretary in the office of her church training center. Sr Gloria shared that she was orphaned and now works to care for her brothers and sisters who lack support, providing them with counseling when they have family issues. Since 2019, Sr Gloria has been experiencing lower abdominal pains and recently began experiencing more severe pains in March. She was diagnosed with multiple uterine myomas and fibroids. Sr Gloria needs to undergo a hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), can help Sr Gloria finally heal. On April 5th, she will undergo surgery at AMH’s care center. Once recovered, Sr Gloria will be able to resume her daily activities free of pain. AMH is requesting $319 to fund this procedure. Sr Gloria shared, “I am worried about the future outcome of my condition if not treated on time. I feel uncomfortable. I hope to resume my duties as a secretary as soon as I recover completely.”