Jailosi is a husband and father of five children from Malawi. For most of his life, 61-year-old Jailosi relied on farming to support his family. His routine, however, came to an abrupt halt when he suddenly began experiencing urinary problems that quickly became severe. The most troubling was urinary retention, leaving him unable to pass urine normally. To relieve the immediate problem, he was catheterised, a measure that has helped manage his symptoms, but has also brought discomfort and disrupted his daily life. Presently, farming work that once sustained his family has been put on hold as he focuses on seeking treatment and managing his health. This has affected his income and also weighed heavily on him emotionally. Hoping for a lasting solution, Jailosi went to our medical partner's care center, Nkhoma Hospital, where he was assessed and diagnosed with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Doctors advised that surgery is needed to correct the problem. While the news brought hope, it also brought concern. Unable to work for months, Jailosi does not have the financial means to pay for the surgery. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $530 to fund the procedure for Jailosi. The treatment is scheduled to take place at Nkhoma Hospital on June 3rd and, once completed, it will hopefully improve Jailosi's quality of life and allow him to get back to work. Jailosi said, “This illness has taken away my ability to work and live normally. I believe that if I receive this surgery, I will finally have peace of mind again. My greatest wish is to recover, return to my farm, and continue caring for my family.”

Nak is a 59-year-old man from Kampong Cham Province, Cambodia. He lives with his wife and their two school-aged children. He and his wife earn a living by making traditional Khmer woven mats. Although they work hard to support their family, their income is limited. In 1990, Nak lost his right leg below the knee after a landmine accident. He adapted to life with a prosthetic leg, but over the past year, he developed a chronic wound at the amputation stump. The wound causes pain, discharge, and stiffness, making it difficult to wear his prosthesis, work, and carry out daily activities. After learning about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, through a relative, he traveled 3.5 hours to seek treatment. On July 7th, he is scheduled to undergo a right below-knee amputation (BKA) stump revision to remove unhealthy tissue, promote healing, and improve the shape of the stump. The surgery is expected to reduce pain, allow him to wear his prosthetic leg more comfortably, and help him regain his mobility and independence. His family can contribute $50, but needs help raising $428 more to fund his procedure and care. Nak said, “I hope this surgery will heal my wound so I can wear my prosthetic leg comfortably again and move around without pain.”

Four-year-old Sinan is a KG 1 student living in Ethiopia. He is the only child of his loving parents. His mother sells vegetables, while his father is a wood craftsman at a local furniture workshop. One year ago, Sinan started to experience a loss of appetite, painful swallowing, severe snoring and nightly sleep disruptions. His throat hurts all the time, swallowing is painful, and his sleep is interrupted every night. He eats so little that doctors had to prescribe medicine to help him regain his appetite. Initially, Sinan's parents didn't realize how serious the situation was, so they treated him with simple painkillers from the local clinic. Four months ago, however, his symptoms grew much worse, and they took him to a specialist hospital. Doctors found severe tonsillitis, and said that he needed surgery as soon as possible. For his parents, the hardest part is watching their only child in pain, day after day, and needing medicine simply to eat. They work hard, yet they still cannot pay for the operation that would make him well. This weighs heavily on them. Our medical partner, Saglan Wajee General Hospital, is requesting $700 to fund a tonsillectomy for Sinan, which is scheduled to take place on October 17th. Surgeons will remove his tonsils, hopefully relieving Sinan of his symptoms, and helping him to live more comfortably. "We have waited so long and we feel helpless. We cannot wait for this surgery to finally be done," said Sinan's parents.