Mwamini is a 31-year-old woman from DR Congo, and the mother of four children, one boy and three girls. She and her family, including her husband, live in a refugee settlement in Uganda. Mwamini lost her parents in the conflict back home, while her husband's parents still live in DR Congo. Both Mwamini and her husband had limited access to education growing up, due to their respective families' financial challenges. Presently, they both work as small-scale farmers on rented land, to provide food for their household and generate a small income from the surplus they sell. Life in the refugee settlement has been challenging, and the family continues to struggle to meet their basic needs. Five years ago, Mwamini began to experience troubling symptoms, including a swelling at the site of a previous surgical incision. Over the last two years, the condition has progressively worsened, causing her significant discomfort and affecting her ability to work. As the swelling increased in size, she began experiencing abdominal fullness, pain, and a noticeable abdominal mass. Eventually, the condition became so debilitating that she was forced to stop participating in farming activities, placing an additional burden on her family's livelihood. In an attempt to find relief, Mwamini tried various herbal remedies, but her condition continued to deteriorate. Her breakthrough came when she attended a surgical outreach organized by our medical partner's care center, Rwibaale Hospital, where she was advised to seek further evaluation and treatment at the hospital. There, was diagnosed with both an incisional hernia and grade three splenomegaly (enlarged spleen). Physicians have recommended a laparotomy, which is a surgery that opens up the abdominal cavity to treat her condition. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $230 to fund Mwamini's surgery. On June 2nd, she will undergo surgery at Rwibaale Health Center. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully greatly improve her quality of life. Mwamini says, "I hope to get relief from the pain, so I can go back to my farming activities and take good care of my family."

Hong is an 18-year-old truck driver from Prey Veng Province in Cambodia. He lives with his parents, who are rice farmers, and has one older brother who works as a truck driver. He enjoys playing volleyball with his friends in his free time, and is active in his village community. In May 2024, Hong was involved in a traffic accident that caused a fracture in his lower right leg. Doctors performed open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) procedure and implanted a plate and screws in his leg. Since the surgery, he has experienced occasional pain and discomfort in his right leg, especially when walking or doing daily activities. This has affected his comfort and mobility, particularly during work and movement. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. On May 18th, Hong will undergo a hardware removal procedure to help reduce pain and discomfort, improve mobility, and allow him to walk more comfortably and return to his normal daily and working activities. Hong is contributing to his treatment, but needs to raise $328 more for his procedure. He says: “I hope that removing the plate and screws will help reduce my pain, make walking easier, and allow me to move more comfortably in my daily life.”

Loishorwa is a seven-year-old boy from Tanzania. He lives with his parents, who are livestock keepers, and he is the fourth child in a family of four. His daily life includes helping with light household tasks and caring for animals after school. He is currently in class one and enjoys being around other children. Loishorwa was diagnosed with bilateral genu valgus, affecting the alignment of his legs. Several factors could cause this condition, such as growth disorders, vitamin deficiencies, or excessive fluoride found in contaminated drinking water. As a result, the knees can be angled inwards or outwards, making it difficult to walk and may cause long-term joint damage. The condition causes discomfort when he walks or stands for long periods and makes physical activities more difficult. Although he is motivated to attend school and participate in play, his mobility limitations reduce his endurance and confidence. This surgery and recovery care will help ensure that Loishorwa can remain active in school. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $777 to fund treatment for Loishorwa. The procedure is scheduled to take place on February 10th at our medical partner's care center, Kafika House. Treatment will hopefully restore Loishorwa's mobility, allow him to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease his risk of future complications. Loishorwa's father says, “He gets tired and complains of pain when walking to school, and he cannot move as freely as other children.”