Mary is ten years old and hails from Kayole in Nairobi County. She is the 3rd and last born in her family. She is in the fifth grade and she likes playing netball. Her mother says that she is very social when she is not in pain. Her mother works doing casual jobs washing clothes for her neighbors while her father stays at their rural home doing small-scale farming. For about three years now, Mary has been having recurrent tonsillitis accompanied by swelling of the tonsils, pain, fever, and chest congestion. Her condition has affected her studies since she misses school whenever she is sick, visiting different hospitals in search of treatment. Her mother decided to come and try Nazareth Hospital, where after a close follow-up, the ENT surgeon advised her to have a Tonsillectomy to solve the problem. Unfortunately, her parents are not in a position to raise the funds for this treatment, and they need support. If not treated, Mary will continue to experience adverse symptoms and may have complications like peritonsillar abscess and difficulty breathing. With surgery now scheduled for February 23rd, they are hopeful she will soon feel better. “I have gone up and down to different health facilities and her condition reoccurs. I ask for help and hope the operation will be successful so that she can have peace of mind and continue with her education. I will appreciate it,” said Mary’s mother.

Racheal is a 31 year old from Uganda. She is a mother to two children, both currently studying. While trained as a teacher, Rachael, unfortunately lost her job during the country lockdown in the Covid-19 period, and she since has not been able to find a new opportunity to continuing in the teaching profession. During her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family. Despite the challenges, Rachael is a lively individual, full of stories, and she has a humorous way of talking that brings laughter to everyone during interviews. To sustain herself, she engages in farming, focusing on crops for her family to eat, but she also sells surplus produce to generate income. Her husband works as a security guard, and they reside in a two-room rental house in Maya trading center. She shares a history of experiencing a miscarriage. Now that she is expecting a new baby, she has attended antenatal care at Nyakibale Hospital. Her doctors recommend that she deliver via a caesarean section because of her high risk pregnancy. This way, doctors can ensure the safety of both mother and child. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Racheal undergo a caesarean section on December 12th. This procedure will cost $252, and Racheal needs your support. Rachael says, “I hope to get your support to deliver a live baby and have a successful delivery.”

Sok is an 80 year-old retired rice farmer from Kompong Thom province. Since her husband died five years ago, she has been living alone. Her six children and twelve grandchildren live in neighboring villages. The family checks in on her often, but it has become increasingly difficult for Sok to go out on her own due to deteriorating vision. She misses going to the pagoda to pray and taking walks. Her favorite things are her grandchildren and listening to Buddhist radio. About one year ago, Sok developed a cataract in her left eye, causing her itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. A cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye, so it is like looking through a frosty or fogged-up window. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so is not able to go places on her own. When Sok learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On March 7th, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in her left eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $253 procedure. Sok shared, "I hope after surgery I can see better, easily go out on my own, and recognize my family."