Maria is a 28-year-old woman from Uganda. Maria has spent years trying to rebuild her life after losing her only child and undergoing two major abdominal operations. Today, she runs a small soft-drinks business to support herself and help care for her sister’s two children. She operates this business out of her own home. However, a painful swelling on her abdomen has begun interfering with the very business she depends on to survive. Maria underwent two abdominal operations, the first four years ago and the last one year ago. But for the past eight months, Maria continues to experience a painful swelling around her navel at the site of her previous abdominal surgery. The pain becomes particularly troublesome when she sits for long periods, laughs, or speaks. She has not received treatment for the swelling, and it has increasingly affected her ability to attend to her customers. At times, the pain becomes so severe that she has to close her business, losing the little income she depends on. On November 3rd, Maria will undergo hernia repair surgery with the help of our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare. This procedure and care will cost $170, and Maria needs your help. Maria shares, “I have gone through two major operations, and the money I spent on treatment left me with almost nothing. Now I have this painful swelling, and sometimes I have to close my business because I cannot bear the pain. I depend on this small business to survive and to help care for my sister’s children, but I cannot afford another operation. I kindly appeal to the donors to help me receive the surgery I need. Your assistance would give me a chance to recover, return to my business, and continue caring for the children who depend on me. May God bless you for helping people like me who have nowhere else to turn.”

Gabriel is 61 years old and a father of four from Malawi. Gabriel's passion is farming; it is something that has shaped his life and something he has always been proud to pass on to his children. Gabriel grows maize and groundnuts each farming season. He makes a point of involving his children in the work, teaching them the skills and knowledge he has gained over the years. For about six years, Gabriel has had a left inguinal hernia. His condition became significantly worse in September 2026 when he began experiencing abdominal pain, struggled to walk properly, and found it difficult to eat. As the symptoms intensified, he became increasingly unable to carry out his farming activities. Gabriel is scheduled for a hernia repair with mesh surgery at our medical partner's care center, Nkhoma Hospital, on November 3rd. Gabriel needs your help to raise $500 to fund his procedure and care. Gabriel shares, “Farming is what I know and what I have always loved doing. I enjoy working in my fields and teaching my children how to farm, but this illness has made it difficult for me to do even the simplest tasks. My family has tried its best to raise money for my surgery, but we cannot manage the full cost. I am appealing for assistance so that I can receive treatment, recover, and return to my farm and the life I enjoyed before.”

Kuon is a 68-year-old grandmother from Cambodia. She lives in Battambang with her elderly husband and grandchildren. She has three children: her oldest child works as a car repairer, her second child works for a private company, and her youngest child is a taxi driver. She spends much of her time caring for her grandchildren. She also enjoys visiting the pagoda. Kuon developed a non-healing ulcer on her right cheek after suffering a burn while cooking. The wound remained open for about one year and was later diagnosed as invasive basal cell carcinoma. The ulcer has not healed and has a small area of dead tissue along its edge. Although it is not painful when touched, having a persistent lesion on her cheek affects her comfort and confidence in daily life. When Kuon learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On September 10th, surgeons at CSC will perform a removal of the basal cell carcinoma from her right cheek, followed by reconstruction with a rhomboid flap to remove the cancerous lesion and reconstruct the affected area, helping the wound heal and restoring the appearance and function of her cheek. Her family can contribute $100, but needs help raising $616 more to fund her procedure and care. Kuon said, “I hope the surgery will remove the ulcer on my cheek and help the area heal properly. I am looking forward to recovering and returning to my usual daily activities with more confidence.”