Sostine is a 26-year-old waitress. Sostine is the second oldest of 6 children. She lost her parents and three siblings at a young age and could not proceed with her school past grade 6 due to a lack of teachers. She lives alone and works at a local eatery to make ends meet. For two years, Sostine has had an epigastric hernia. She experiences pain and strain when she has to bend or do anything strenuous. She experiences discomfort and pain when she tries to eat a full meal. She came to Nyakibale hospital for care and was recommended surgery as treatment. She appeals for help to undergo surgery. Fortunately, on February 7th, she will undergo hernia repair surgery at our medical partner's care center. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $230 to fund Sostine's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will allow her to live more comfortably and confidently. Sostine says, “I wish my health can be brought back to normal so that I can continue with my work and live a better quality of life.”

Shallot is a 28-year-old female farmer living in Southwestern Uganda. Her husband and three stepsons live on a small piece of land, where they raise crops to support themselves. The income generated from their farm helps pay for school tuition from her stepsons. Ten years ago, Shallot began to experience troubling symptoms, including substantial swelling around her neck. The village where Shallot lives is very remote, taking over two weeks for her to travel in order to seek medical care. However, six months ago, her symptoms worsened. She started experiencing neck stiffness and numbness and began having difficulty speaking and breathing. She visited several different health facilities. After multiple tests, she was diagnosed with an enlarged thyroid gland with nodules within it. Surgery was recommended, but Shallot was unable to move forward with the procedure due to a lack of funds. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is helping Shallot receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on January 24th at AMH's care center, where surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. The procedure will cost $252 and dramatically improve Shallot's life. Shallot says, “I need your support, and I hope my health will get better after surgery.”

Victoria is a 21-year-old married woman from Kafwetsera Village, Lilongwe District, in Mozambique. She and her husband have two young children who are not yet in school. The family depends upon growing maize for their income. Since January 2023, Victoria has been experiencing painful swelling in her abdomen. She visited two health centers in her area, where she was given medication that did nothing to relieve her discomfort. Victoria then decided to come to Malawi to seek medical help. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Victoria to access treatment for an epigastric hernia. On May 9th, she will undergo hernia repair surgery at Nkhoma Hospital, which will alleviate her pain and prevent dangerous complications from occurring in the future. Now she needs your help to raise $421 to fund this life-changing procedure. Victoria says: "I am glad that help has been found. Thank you SAFE for this great opportunity."

Srey Ty is a 27-year-old garment worker from Cambodia. She is divorced and has a 6-year-old daughter. She lives with her parents and daughter in Prey Veng province and works in a local factory to support her daughter and her elderly parents. When she is free, she likes to watch movies or take walks with her daughter. About a month ago, Srey Ty developed a chalazion in her left eye, causing her itchiness, irritation, and redness. A chalazion is an inflamed cyst in a patient's tear gland. It is difficult for her to work and has missed some work days, reducing her income. Srey Ty traveled for three hours to seek treatment from our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre. On April 28th, surgeons will remove the cyst through a chalazion excision procedure. After recovery, Srey Ty's symptoms should improve. She needs help raising $210 to fund this procedure. She shared: "I hope after surgery my eyelid will no longer be swollen and I won’t worry about it. I can go back to work to support my family."

Meet Kim Chea, a retired, 79-year-old grandmother, living in Kampong Thom province in Cambodia. She has five sons, five daughters, and fifteen grandchildren. Before retiring, she sold plates and dishware in the market. She currently lives with her husband and her youngest daughter, who sells papaya to earn income for the family. One year ago, Kim Chea developed a cataract in her left eye, which resulted in chronic discomfort and has also compromised her ability to see clearly. Kim Chea sought help for her condition from our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre. On February 6th, doctors at Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre will perform cataract surgery, and implant an intraocular lens in her left eye. After recovery, Kim Chea will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs your help to fund this $253 procedure. Kim Chea said: "I hope after surgery my eye can see better and I can join ceremonies at the pagoda."

Janet is a 6-year-old girl from Tanzania. She is a bright-eyed, curious girl living in a remote village called Manyus, Tanzania. She is the second youngest of five children, raised by her hardworking parents, who do everything possible to provide for their family. Her father is a farmer and cattle breeder; however, due to the fluctuating prices of crops and cows, he struggles to make enough money to provide for his family. From a young age, Janet's legs started bowing, making it difficult to walk, run, or play like other children her age. Janet was able to reach our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), where she was diagnosed with bilateral genu varus. Her legs bow outward so that her knees do not touch. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, often stemming from contaminated drinking water. AMH is requesting $880 to fund corrective surgery for Janet. The procedure is scheduled to take place on April 17th. Treatment will hopefully restore Janet's mobility, allow her to participate in various activities, and greatly decrease her risk of future complications. Janet’s mother says, “We are concerned about her future. I hope my daughter will be better after this treatment.”

Raheel is a 15-month-old boy from a small family with one sibling and two parents. Raheel’s father is a local vendor selling fish at the market, and his mother sells clothes and accessories. Raheel's parents work to make sure their family is provided for, but have struggled to make ends while business has been slow. Raheel has clubfoot of his left foot, a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape making it difficult for Raheel to learn to walk and wear shoes. Fortunately, Raheel's family traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on January 13th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Raheel's parent's raise $935 to fund his clubfoot repair. After treatment, he will be able to walk easily. Raheel’s mother shared, “It feels good seeing my son be playful despite his foot condition. I wish for his other foot to be normal too.”

Kimhong is an eight-year-old first grader from Cambodia, where he lives with his parents and younger sister. His father works in sales at a local company and his mother sells groceries from a street cart. Kimhong hopes to become a police officer when he grows up. Two years ago, Kimhong began experiencing a sore throat and difficulty swallowing. Frequent illness has caused him to miss school and he is unable to eat properly. He was recently diagnosed with enlarged tonsils and adenoids, which, if left untreated, will cause his symptoms to persist, and possibly intensify over time. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $265 to fund a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy for Kimhong. On April 26th, surgeons at Kien Khleang Rehabilitation Centre will remove his tonsils and adenoids, relieving Kimhong of his symptoms and improving his quality of life. Kimhong shared: "I hope my throat feels better so I can sleep without waking up and go back to school every day."

Shallon is the mother of three children and a businesswoman from Southwestern Uganda. She has a diploma in education, but was unable to get a job in that field, so decided to start a small retail shop to make ends meet. She lives in a rental house with her children, as she separated from her husband. Two years ago, Shallon began to experience troubling symptoms, including neck swelling, difficulty breathing, and swallowing. She was diagnosed with cystic goitre. A visit to a traditional herbalist had not helped, so she went to the hospital. She had a scan, and surgery was recommended to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Shallon receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on January 24th at our medical partner's care center. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $252, and she and her family need help raising money to pay for it. Shallon says, “I hope the complications I have been passing through will be no more once I am given a chance to be operated on with your help.”

Rose is a 62-year-old widow with two fully grown children. She lost her husband four years ago. Rose owns a small business where she sells sand and also performs garden maintenance for a small fee. Rose gets support from both children, who are married with children themselves now. She lives with her second-born child in a three-bedroom house without water and electricity. Rose likes doing house chores and enjoys eating nsima, a culinary tradition of Malawi, made from maize flour with vegetables. In 2014, Rose started experiencing pain when she swallowed. She visited the hospital near her home, where she was treated. The treatment worked for awhile until December of last year when her daughter noticed that Rose's neck was swollen on the right side. In March, Rose noticed that the swelling was getting larger and also causing consistent pain. Rose decided it was time to visit Kamuzu Central Hospital in Malawi where a scan revealed her mass had grown substantially and was stemming from the right thyroid lobe. Her doctor diagnosed her with a goiter and determined that surgery would be needed. Due to her financial challenges, Rose could not afford the surgery. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), can help. Rose met with a surgeon who confirmed her diagnosis and the need for surgical intervention called a thyroidectomy, which removes part or all of the thyroid gland. Rose believes the surgery will help her to get better and prevent her symptoms from impacting her day to day life, and allow her to focus on how good her life is. She was able to contribute $10 toward her care and is grateful to all to help her raise the $1,015 needed. Rose said, “Thank you donors for supporting me, I want to live my normal life.”

Kanhchana is a clever 4th grader. She lives in rural Kratie province with her parents and two older brothers. Her mother is a teacher, and her father is a police officer. Her dream is to be a lawyer when she's older. For now, she is busy in school and gets good grades. Before her injury, she liked to jump rope with her friends. On January 23rd, she was playing with her friends when she fell and wounded her ankle. She went to clinic near her house a day later and started taking antibiotics. A few weeks after that, she went to a local referral hospital and had a cast for 20 days, but the wound has still not healed. She experiences pain, wound discharge, and difficulty walking. When Kanhchana's family learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, they traveled for five hours seeking treatment. On April 6th, surgeons at CSC will perform a debridement procedure to remove the damaged and infected tissue from the wound. Now, Kanhchana's family needs help to fund this $324 procedure. After surgery, her family is hopeful that the wound will be able to finally heal and she can grow up healthy, happy, and active.