Winnie is a 60-year-old woman from Uganda. She separated from her husband due to family violence and financial difficulties. As a single mother, she has been taking care of her four children, all of whom are attending secondary school, and makes ends meet by engaging in small-scale farming. Winnie is reaching out for support to restore her health and, by extension, her ability to provide for her children. Her treatment will not only alleviate her physical suffering but also empower her to continue nurturing her family and contribute positively to her community. Winnie visited our medical partner due to a mass that has been swelling on the right lumbar region (the area with the gallbladder, liver, and right colon) that has been troubling her for about eight months. She shared that the lump has consistently increased in size over time, thus causing her significant worry and fear that it might be cancerous. She is also unable to sleep on her right side, and the discomfort she experiences disrupts her ability to perform daily activities, especially her work on the farm, which is her source of livelihood. Without proper treatment, Winnie's quality of life will be severely impacted. When she sought medical help before, the doctors prescribed medication to reduce the swelling; however, the mass continued to grow. She was later advised to undergo surgery, but financial constraints prevented her from pursuing the treatment. Fortunately, Winnie was able to travel to our medical partner's care center. On November 7th, surgeons will remove the mass. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is requesting $137 to fund this procedure. Winnie said, “I am currently a single mother with no job, and yet my children need basic needs. This condition has affected me, yet I have no money for treatment. I request for your support thus being able to resume back to farming for a living."

Bory is a 66-year-old woman who lives in a rural village in Cambodia with her husband and daughter. Her other three children live a few hours away, working in factories and construction. Bory works as a cleaner. In her free time, she likes spending time with her neighbors and her grandchildren when they visit. Around six months ago, Bory developed a skin infection around her knee, which has worsened over time. She experiences pain, swelling, and difficulty walking. When Bory learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), she traveled for six hours seeking treatment. On August 2nd, surgeons at CSC will perform a debridement procedure to remove the damaged and infected tissue from around her knee. CSC is requesting $324 to fund this procedure. Bory contributed $100 to her care. Bory said, "I hope that, after surgery, I can do my job and not have pain."

Emmanuel is a three-month-old baby boy from Tanzania. He has one older sibling. His parents are Olkokola Center volunteers, who dedicate their time to helping those in need. However, they face challenges in finding jobs that would offer them a stable income to provide for their family. Emmanuel has clubfoot of both feet. This is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape, making it difficult for the individual to wear shoes and to walk. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), can help. Emmanuel's family brought him to AMH's care center, Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre. On August 4th, AMH's surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on Emmanuel's feet. AMH is requesting $935 to fund Emmanuel's clubfoot repair. This procedure is the first step of Emmanuel's treatment, and will ultimately help him run, walk, and play like other children. Emmanuel’s mother says: “I hope my son's treatment will go smoothly, and his legs won't have a permanent condition.”