Rashidah is a 26-year-old single mother of two children from Gomba District in Uganda. She is the sole provider for her family, and earns a living through small-scale farming. Rashidah and her children live in a modest one-room mud house, and the little income she earns is only sufficient to meet their basic daily needs, leaving no savings for specialised medical care. About two years ago, Rashidah noticed a swelling on the front of her neck. Over time, the swelling has progressively increased in size and has brought on troubling symptoms including persistent headaches, difficulty carrying heavy loads, and discomfort due to pressure on her airway making it difficult to breathe comfortably and perform her routine farming activities. Rashidah first sought medical care at a hospital close to her home. Although she was evaluated, she was unable to receive the required treatment because she could not afford the medical expenses. With no other option, she returned home discouraged and uncertain about her future. While travelling back from Gombe Hospital, Rashidah met a former beneficiary of the Watsi program, who encouraged her to seek specialised treatment at the hospital. Determined, Rashidah gathered all her savings and embarked on the long journey to Rushoroza Hospital. She travelled for over 10 hours by public transport, crossing over 15 districts before reaching the hospital in search of hope and healing. Upon arrival, Rashidah was warmly received by the medical team, and underwent thorough clinical assessments and investigations. She was diagnosed with a goitre, an enlargement of the thyroid gland. The attending surgeon recommended a thyroidectomy as the definitive treatment. Unfortunately, Rashidah is unable to afford the cost of the recommended surgery. As a single mother surviving on subsistence farming, she has exhausted all her available resources simply reaching the hospital. She has no health insurance, no stable income, and no family financial support to enable her to undergo surgery. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Rashidah receive treatment. On July 23rd, she is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy where surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $333, and she and her family need help raising the funds. Rashidah says, "Every day, I worry that the swelling in my neck will continue to grow and make it harder for me to breathe and care for my children. I travelled many hours with the little money I had because I believed there was still hope. I humbly ask for your support to help me receive this surgery, regain my health, and continue raising my children. Your kindness will give my family a new beginning."

Rodas is a four-year-old girl from Ethiopia. She lives in a loving home with her older sister, her stay-at-home mother who cares for her daily, and her father, who works tirelessly as an electrician to provide for the family. Despite their strong bond and dedication, her condition creates a heavy, continuous strain on their household. Three years ago, Rodas started to experience snoring, mouth breathing, struggling to swallow, and loss of appetite. Nights are especially grueling. Her swollen tonsils make breathing and sleeping difficult, leaving her parents awake for hours trying to soothe her pain, bring down fevers, and administer medication. This ongoing health struggle deeply affects her day-to-day life. Frequent sickness forces her to miss school, making it hard to keep up with her classmates or enjoy regular childhood activities. Rodas was recently diagnosed with enlarged tonsils, which, if not treated, will cause her symptoms to persist and possibly intensify over time. Our medical partner, Saglan Wajee General Hospital, is requesting $700 to fund a tonsillectomy for Rodas, which is scheduled to take place on July 20th. Surgeons will remove her tonsils, hopefully relieving Rodas of her symptoms and helping her live more comfortably. "We just want these painful nights to end. We want our little girl to sleep peacefully, play with her friends, and grow up healthy. Healing her will bring our family the peace we so desperately need," said Rodas's parents.

An is a 76-year-old man and a rice farmer from Cambodia. He and his wife both work on the farm. In his free time, An enjoys going to the pagoda and participating in religious ceremonies. About one year ago, An developed a cataract in his right eye, causing him itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. A cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye, similar to looking through a frosty or fogged-up window. He has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so he is not able to go places on his own. When An learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On July 7th, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in his right eye. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. Now, he needs help to fund this $263 procedure. An said, "I hope that after my cataract surgery, my eyesight will improve so that I can return to growing rice, travel to places that are farther away, and no longer worry about my vision."