Falesi is 43 years old and a mother of six children from Malawi. She lives with four of her children. As a single mother, she works as a domestic worker, doing all she can to provide for her children and keep them in school. In January 2026, Falesi began to experience troubling symptoms, including a small lump on the right side of her neck. At first, she did not think much of it, but over time it grew larger. As it increased in size, it began to affect her daily life. She started experiencing chest pains and frequent headaches. At times, she struggled to eat and swallow properly, making even simple meals difficult. Worried about her condition, she went to the hospital, where doctors examined her. She was diagnosed with a thyroid cystic mass. The thyroid is the gland located in front of the neck and produces thyroid hormones. These hormones are responsible for functions such as metabolism, growth, and other bodily functions. Falesi needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $491 to fund Falesi's treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on April 16th at our medical partner's care center. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland to restore her health. Falesi said, “I believe this surgery will improve my life greatly. I want to be strong again so I can continue caring for my children. This support gives me hope that I will be well again.”

Rithy is a 73-year-old married man and a farmer from Oddar Meanchey Province, Cambodia. He grows potatoes and mangoes for a living. He has one son, three daughters, and two grandchildren. Rithy lives with his wife, who is also a farmer growing potatoes and mangoes, and his daughter, who works as a farmer as well. His favorite hobby is visiting the pagoda. About four years ago, Rithy developed a cataract in his left eye, causing him 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. 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 Rithy learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On June 2nd, doctors will perform a phacoemulsification cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in his left eye. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. He can contribute $50, but needs help raising $213 more to fund his procedure and care. Rithy said, "I hope that after cataract surgery, my eyesight will improve so that I can move around more easily, return to farming, and continue growing mangoes and potatoes successfully."

Ester is a 13-year-old student from Burma. She lives with her parents, her younger brother, and two younger sisters in a village in Karen State, Burma. Ester and her three younger siblings go to school while their parents are small-scale farmers. They also raise chickens and pigs, and they forage for vegetables in the forest for their own consumption. They also have a small garden where they grow betel nut trees, and they sell some of the betel nuts to earn a small income. Sometimes, Ester’s father also finds work as an agricultural day laborer. In her free time, Ester loves to help her mother with household chores and also play with her friends at school. She wants to become a teacher when she grows up. Ester was born with an atrial septal defect (ASD), a condition in which a hole exists between the two upper chambers of the heart. Sometimes ASDs may close on their own during development, but sometimes this condition requires surgery to repair the hole and prevent long-term damage to the heart and lungs. Ester is scheduled to undergo heart surgery on July 7th to correct her condition and improve her quality of life. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to help cover the cost of Ester's procedure and care. Ester's mother shared, "I would like to thank BCMF and your donors for your kindness and willingness to support my daughter. Without you, my daughter would not receive treatment as the cost is too high for us, and we cannot borrow such a large amount of money from our neighbours. On behalf of our family and our daughter, thank you to your donors and everyone willing to help my daughter.”