Jannifer is the second-born child in a family of two. She lost both her parents in a road traffic accident when she was four years old. She was the only survivor of the accident. After her parent's burial, she stayed with her grandmother in the village until she started having abdominal pains and was taken in by her aunt for proper care and support. The aunt is a single mother of 4 children aged 20 (twins),16 and 6. Beatrice, the aunt, separated from her husband, who does not render support so she works as a driver and uses her income to support the children. They live in a two-bedroom rented house with water and electricity. For four years, Jannifer has had abdominal pains originating from the umbilical region. This has affected her studies as she keeps missing school attendance. Jannifer has now been diagnosed with a hernia, and fortunately, she is eligible for surgery which can cure her condition. Her aunt looks forward to a successful surgery that would enable Jannifer to concentrate on her school. She said she could not wait to see Jennifer continue to excel in life as a loving and beautiful girl. Jannifer said, “I don’t like the pain because it hurts,” and Beatrice, her aunt said, "Kindly help my daughter because I want her to live happily.”

Lezina is a 51-year-old woman with 3 children. She separated from her husband who later remarried and shared that she believes he left because of her medical condition. All her children are women and they got married at a tender age due to financial challenges in their family. Currently, Lezina has found it difficult to secure even a low-paying job as a maid. Lezina likes chatting with her grandchildren and enjoys eating anything that is available. Lezina indicated that she started experiencing a swelling above the umbilical area in 2020. She lived with the problem since it was on and off and was not associated with pain. Later in 2023, the swelling episodes became frequent and it began to affect her daily activities. Lezina presented herself to Kamuzu Central Hospital where different tests were done, without much help. As time passed by, in December 2023 she had increasing pains and went back to KCH where further assessments were done, and a diagnosis of hernia was made after identifying the source of pain. KCH booked Lezina on their waiting list. While still waiting, her first-born daughter met a friend who shared the good news that she was a beneficiary of Watsi's program with our partner African Mission Healthcare and recommended aher to report to PIH Hospital for support. Lezina met the surgeon at PIH who confirmed the diagnosis of hernia and the need for surgical intervention called hernia repair. A hernia is a condition in which soft tissue bulges through a weak point in the abdominal muscle. If the hernia is left untreated, the size of the protruding intestine might get bigger and become strangulated leading to the reduction of blood flow to the surrounding tissues which may be life-threatening. Lezina was referred to our program due to her financial instability. Her daughter committed to helping support her treatment and Lezina believes that the surgery will help her get back to normal life and that people will now have a different perception of her. Lezina needs your help raising $575 to fund her surgery. Lezina happily said, “I just want to get well and concentrate on my children.”

Racheal is a 31 year old from Uganda. She is a mother to two children, both currently studying. While trained as a teacher, Rachael, unfortunately lost her job during the country lockdown in the Covid-19 period, and she since has not been able to find a new opportunity to continuing in the teaching profession. During her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family. Despite the challenges, Rachael is a lively individual, full of stories, and she has a humorous way of talking that brings laughter to everyone during interviews. To sustain herself, she engages in farming, focusing on crops for her family to eat, but she also sells surplus produce to generate income. Her husband works as a security guard, and they reside in a two-room rental house in Maya trading center. She shares a history of experiencing a miscarriage. Now that she is expecting a new baby, she has attended antenatal care at Nyakibale Hospital. Her doctors recommend that she deliver via a caesarean section because of her high risk pregnancy. This way, doctors can ensure the safety of both mother and child. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Racheal undergo a caesarean section on December 12th. This procedure will cost $252, and Racheal needs your support. Rachael says, “I hope to get your support to deliver a live baby and have a successful delivery.”