Gebra is a 10-year-old boy from Tanzania and the youngest in his family of three children. His parents are farmers. They depend on their yield for the family's sustenance and sell water at a retail store for additional income. While this supplementary income helps with some expenses, they still face challenges in affording a balanced diet and, occasionally, face challenges in providing school supplies. Gebra developed a mass on the right side of his chest when he was just one month old. Although his parents sought medical attention for him when he was a baby, the doctors advised them to wait until he was older for surgery. When Gebra turned seven, they took him to the hospital for treatment, but unfortunately, that facility was not equipped for surgeries, and due to financial constraints, Gebra's family had to wait for three years. They then sought treatment at another hospital, where one of our partner doctors referred them to our medical partner's care center, Kafika House, for assistance with the surgery cost. The mass on Gebra's chest has continued to grow, limiting his range of motion in his right shoulder. Gebra will undergo surgery to remove the mass on February 6th. Now, Gebra's family needs help to raise $724 to fund this procedure. Gebra's mother said: "I hope my son gets the treatment that will help with the mass on his chest because, as he grows, it makes him feel uncomfortable being around people."

Asiyatu is a married mother of two children aged 8 and 3 years. Her first child is in 3rd grade and the youngest is in nursery school. She is a homemakerwhile her husband is an Airtel money branch manager earning about $208.72 per month from his business and he takes care of all the bills at home. They live in a three-bedroomed rented house costing $29.82 per month. Asiyatu likes chatting with her children and enjoys eating chips and vegetables. Asiyatu was well until 2020 after the delivery of her second child when she noted a small lump on her left breast that was not painful. She visited a nearby hospital but did not receive help. The husband took her to Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH) after noting that the lump was getting bigger as time passed. She was brought to Partners in Hope Medical Center (PIH) for a lumpectomy which is a surgery that removes cancer from the breast through the removal of a tumor and a small rim of normal tissues around it, and a sample was sent for histology. In September, she reported back to PIH for histology results that revealed an Invasive Breast Carcinoma requiring a mastectomy. She was then referred back to KCH for surgery since the husband could no longer manage to pay for the surgery as he did with the previous one. She was scheduled for surgery the next year. Lately, Asiyatu has been experiencing needle-pricking pain that is becoming unbearable without pain-relieving medications, affecting her household chores. As a result of her pain, her husband took her back to the hospital in November for support where she was then referred back to PIH for urgent surgery seeking support under the Watsi program. Doctors at PIH confirmed the need for a modified radical mastectomy, a surgery. Their family is able to commit $89.45 to support her care and their family is raising the remaining funds. Asiyatu believes the surgical operation will help her get back home in good condition and continue taking care of her children and her caring husband. Asiyatu said, “I am ready to live with one breast as I hope to get rid of all my pains and have my perfect life back again.”

Say is a 31-year-old woman who has lived with her family in a refugee camp for more than 10 years after fleeing the conflict in Burma. She is a homemaker who lives with her husband, elderly father, and three young children who are all attending school. The income for Say’s family comes from cash cards provided by an organisation in the refugee camp. Say’s husband works as a delivery driver outside the camp but he has been unable to work since December 2023 because Say’s father and eldest son have health issues that require support. Their monthly income is not enough to cover their living expenses and they sometimes need to borrow food before their cash card is refilled. Basic health care is provided by the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in the refugee camp free of charge, but not advanced care like Say needs. In 2022, Say began having pain, discomfort, and pressure in her abdomen. She was diagnosed with an ovarian cyst and has been advised to undergo a total abdominal hysterectomy which will remove her uterus and cervix. If left untreated, Say's symptoms will continue to worsen and put her at risk for further health complications. Say is scheduled to undergo a hysterectomy on February 22nd. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to cover the cost of her procedure and care. “I will look for a job as a nursery teacher in the camp, I used to do this before I had to stop. Thank you so much to the donors who are helping us pay for my surgery and thank you to BCMF. May you all be healthy, and God bless you,” shared Say.