Kelita is a single mother with four children, aged 18,14,12, and 8. Kelita shared that she separated from her husband in 2017 because she would not adhere to cultural chieftaincy rules that wives are supposed to follow. Kelita refused to stop going to church; hence her family broke apart, and her husband married another woman. He does not provide support for his children so Kelita works hard to support her family on her own. Kelita sells cooked green maize in the nearest markets, earning about $37.00 per month. She and her four children live in a three-room house without water or electricity. Kelita does extra work in people’s gardens for her family's support and shared that she enjoys eating nsima (ugali) with vegetables prepared with groundnut flour. Kelita was well until 2011, when, after the delivery of her third child, she noted a fast-growing swelling on her neck. She did not seek medical care as there was no pain. As time passed, the swelling grew, but was not painful. In 2021, Kelita started experiencing neck heaviness and breathlessness, frequent coughs, and pains when carrying heavy items on her head. This affected her daily activities and business since she could no longer carry a basket of maize on her head. Kelita stopped her cooking business and relied on doing piece work in people’s gardens to support her family. However, even this is difficult now, as bending has become a challenge. In November 2021, Kelita visited her nearest hospital and was referred to Kamuzu Central Hospital, where an ultrasound scan revealed a bilateral complex mass in her thyroid. Kelita was sent for thyroid function tests but since she did not have the money required for the tests, she returned home to try traditional medicine, to no avail. In July, Kelita met a Partners in Hope (PIH) beneficiary who guided her to visit PIH for potential support from Watsi. On August 14th, Kelita met the surgeon at PIH. After the required tests were completed, a diagnosis of goiter was confirmed. Kelita was told she needed to have a surgical intervention called thyroidectomy, the removal of part or all of the thyroid gland. Due to her financial challenges, Kelita was referred to Watsi's medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, for support. Kelita could smile much bigger after hearing about the planned surgery and committed to a co-pay $27.64 from her savings. Kelita hopes to be well again after the surgical operation. Kelita looks forward to the peace of mind that will enable her to support her children as a single parent. “I need my peace of mind for me to resume my business and be able to carry items on my head again. Kindly help me,” Kelita says.

Om is a 52-year-old rice farmer. He lives in Kampong Thom province in Cambodia with his sister and daughter. His sister is also a rice farmer and his daughter helps support the family by working in a nearby garment factory. In his free time, Om enjoys gardening. About one year ago, Om developed a cataract in his right eye, causing him to experience itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. His impaired vision interferes with his ability to work and live his life independently. When Om learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On May 8th, doctors at Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre will perform small incision cataract surgery and implant an intraocular lens in his right eye. After recovery, Om will be able to see clearly and resume his life free from his current symptoms. Now, he needs your help to fund this $253 procedure. Om shared: "I hope I can go back to working normally and helping my family."

Allen is a 53-year-old mother of nine. She lost her husband in 2015. Upon his passing, she received a small plot of land and managed to create a three-room mud house in order to shelter her family. While Allen did not attend school as a child, she can read and write her name. She became a small-scale farmer to provide for her family. Her children range in age from 11 years old to 35. Since 2020, Allen has been experiencing swollen knees, with consistent pain radiating toward her lower abdomen. More recently, her lower abdominal pains became persistent. She decided to visit a nearby healthcare provider, where she was informed that was developing uterine complications. She was sent home with medicine that did not help her pain at all. She resorted to using herbs but those did not help either, she shared. She often becomes very weak while walking, and can only walk slowly for short distances. She can no longer sleep comfortably and has had to stop farming due to the pain. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), diagnosed Allen with Chronic Pelvic Inflammatory Disease. On April 14th, she will undergo surgery at AMH's care center. Once recovered, Allen can resume her daily activities free of pain. AMH is requesting $319 to fund the procedure. Allen says, “I have hope of living a normal and comfortable life once again through surgery. I want to continue with farming after my recovery.”