Elifa is a small business owner from Malawi. She is 41 years old and a mother of six children. Together with her husband, she relies on vegetable farming to support their family and provide for their children's needs. For 24 years, Elifa has had an incisional hernia. In 2002, after giving birth to her first child by Caesarean section, she began experiencing severe pain around the surgical incision. For many years, she managed the pain with painkillers and continued with her daily responsibilities despite the discomfort. Over time, she developed a mass around the incision site, which caused ongoing discomfort and gradually became part of her daily life. This year, however, her condition became much more difficult to manage. For about a month, Elifa experienced severe pain from the mass, prompting her to seek medical attention. She was referred to our medical partner's care center, Nkhoma Hospital, for specialized treatment. Fortunately, on October 7th, Elifa will undergo hernia repair with mesh surgery, and our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $500 to fund Elifa's surgery and care. Elifa said, "I am thankful that I have finally been referred to Nkhoma, but the cost of surgery is more than my family can afford. I am asking for help so that I can have this surgery, recover well, and return to my family and my work without the pain I have carried for so long. I will be deeply grateful to everyone willing to support me.”

Ricarson is a 45-year-old man from Haiti. He lives by himself in a neighborhood of Port-au-Prince; he has seven siblings. He works primarily as an electrician, but also as a freelance journalist. Ricarson has a cardiac condition called rheumatic mitral regurgitation. One of the four valves of his heart does not open and close properly as a result of an infection he suffered earlier in his life. This has led to heart failure, leaving him weak and short of breath. Ricarson needs to fly to the Dominican Republic to receive treatment. On August 12th, he will undergo heart surgery, during which surgeons will remove his damaged valve and implant an artificial replacement. Another organization, Haitian Hearts Foundation, is contributing to the cost of the surgery. But Ricarson's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep. Our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, is requesting $1,500 to cover laboratory tests, medications, and check-up and follow-up appointments. It also supports securing travel documents for the family and travel costs for the social workers from our medical partner, who will accompany Ricarson's family overseas. Richardson says, "I am looking forward to having the strength and energy I need to live my life, and would like to say thank you to everyone!"

Naf is a second-grader from Ethiopia. This eight-year-old and proud big brother is known for being very smart and loving to learn. For over four years, he has quietly suffered from severe tonsil problems. The symptoms worsened over the past year, interrupting a happy childhood supported by his father, a teacher who helps with his studies, and his mother, who works hard at a hair salon. Every day is a struggle for Naf. He misses a lot of school because of his health. He has trouble sleeping, struggles to breathe, breathes through his mouth during the day, and has speech issues that make it hard to talk to others. His family cares for him deeply, but the mounting medical bills have made it hard to pay for the specialized care he urgently needs. Our medical partner, Saglan Wajee General Hospital, is requesting $700 to fund a tonsillectomy for Naf, which is scheduled to take place on September 26th. Surgeons will remove his tonsils, hopefully relieving Naf of his symptoms and helping him live more comfortably. Naf's parents shared, "We cannot wait to get the surgery done so he can smile and play like the happy, energetic kid he was four years ago."