Donozio is a 59-year-old married father of four children. His elder daughter is a teacher, and his two sons and younger daughter are still studying. Donozio completed high school but could not proceed further with education due to a lack of school fees. His passion for education drives him to make sure he educates all his children so that they may get where he never reached. He farms with his wife, but they mostly grow just enough to sustain their family due to limited land. He lives in a three-roomed muddy semi-permanent house with his wife, children, and two orphans, children of his late brother. For the last two years ago, Donozio has had a giant incisional hernia. An incisional hernia is a type of hernia that occurs at or near the site of a previous surgical incision and is characterized by the protrusion of intestine, organ, or other tissue through the weakened abdominal muscle. A giant incisional hernia extends below the midpoint of the inner thigh in the standing position. Donozio was operated on in March 2020. A few months later, he noticed a swelling around the excision site; this has now developed into a giant incisional hernia. Donozio has to limit his eating because he always feels pain after eating-- abdominal pain and constipation. Fortunately, on September 5th, he will undergo hernia repair surgery at our medical partner's care center. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $230 to fund Donozio's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably and confidently. Donozio says, “I hope that when I am given your support, I will have my surgery done and get well again.”

Jennifer is a 51-year-old, small-scale farmer. When she was young, she was in school up to the 4th grade, but then had to stop. She shared that her husband died in 2001 and left her and their children a two-room mud house. She has four daughters who are all married now and she lives with one of her grandchildren who helps her in domestic work. Five years ago, Jennifer began to experience troubling symptoms, including a painless neck swelling that has been growing gradually. After using herbs with no improvement, Jennifer visited a hospital, and a scan was performed. She was diagnosed with a multinodular goiter-an enlarged thyroid gland with separate bumps (nodules) on it. Jennifer was told that she needed surgery, but it was not done at that time due to finances. Now the goiter has continued to grow, and Jennifer is experiencing airway obstruction and periodic severe headaches. Jennifer needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Jennifer receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on September 22nd at our medical partner's care center. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $333, and she and her family need help raising money. Jennifer says, “I hope to become well through surgery so that I can keep up with my day-to-day farming duties.”

Silvester is a 63-year-old man who is a retired accountant and now practices small-scale farming with his wife. They have 3 children whom they have managed to educate through farming. They live in a 3-room brick house, with their main source of cooking energy being firewood. For 2 years, Silvester has had a left hydrocele, or swelling in his groin area. The area of swelling has progressively increased in size. He visited a nearby health unit and had some fluid drained out, which helped him to feel healed and normal. After a short while, the swelling reappeared and again more fluid was drained out. He reports mild pains but is very worried about what could happen if the fluid keeps accumulating. Surgery has been recommended and, fortunately, our medical partner African Mission Healthcare (AMH) can help. Silvester is scheduled to undergo hernia repair surgery on August 18th. AMH is requesting $170 to fund the surgery. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably and confidently. Sylvester says, “I pray that I may get well through surgery. I will continue with farming with my wife afterwards.”