Patience is a small scale farmer and mother of two. Her children were delivered by emergency C-section in 2016 and 2018 respectively. Patience finished some school and pursued a tailoring course, but limited finances have prevented her from following this pursuit to a full career. Currently, she does some farming while her husband works as a builder on a part-time basis to support their family. They own a two-room semipermanent house. During her free time, Patience enjoys spending time with her children. Patience is currently expecting her third child. Her doctors recommend that she deliver via a Caesarean section because of her birthing history. This way, doctors can ensure the safety of both mother and child. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Patience undergo a C-Section on September 8th. This procedure will cost $252, and Patience needs your support. Patience says, “I will be grateful when I am supported since I am not able to raise anything to clear the hospital bills due to my income through farming.”

Joyce is a 54-year-old wife and mother of three. She is a subsistence farmer who grows crops and raises farm animals mainly for food for their family. She lives in a corrugated iron house with her husband and her youngest son. Her oldest son is currently employed and married, but her middle son lost his job due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She proudly shared that her youngest son just sat for the Malawi School Certificate Examination and he is awaiting the results. Joyce's oldest son helps to pay the school fees for his younger brother because he is the only one currently working in their family. Last year Joyce noticed a lump on her breast. Her sister advised her to go to Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH) where she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Surgery was recommended, but the waiting list for an operation has been too long. A KCH doctor advised her to come to Partners In Hope because her condition needs urgent attention. The Partners in Hope surgeon recommended Joyce get a mastectomy. A mastectomy is a surgery to remove all breast tissue from a breast as a way to treat or prevent breast cancer. Due to her financial status, she was referred to our medical partner African Mission Healthcare and has also contributed $19.40 herself to support her treatment. Joyce is fearful of what may come next because she has been reading and has learned of the impact of breast cancer on an individual. Hopefully, having the surgery will erase all these fears and allow Joyce to live her normal life again. Joyce says, “It will be great for me to live a life without a lump on my breast. This thing kills my self-esteem and my hopes to live.”

Jovia is a 60-year-old woman. Jovia lost her husband 20 years ago and has been caring for her 3 stepsons, successfully seeing them through school. Jovia's stepsons have left the nest and now have their own families. Jovia lives on her own as a farmer and keeps some cows to make ends meet. Eight months ago, Jovia was diagnosed with a painful right inguinal hernia. Jovia went to our medical partner's care center in Nyakibale to receive surgery. She was unable to afford the surgery, but our partners at African Mission Healthcare are helping Jovia fundraise the $230 needed to undergo this surgery on September 6th. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow her to live more comfortably and confidently. Jovia shared, “I am all alone, by myself and have no one else at home to help me, with such poor health, I can do nothing. I beg for your support, and I hope to get better once treated.”

Channarith is a 47-year-old security guard for a local restaurant. He is married and has two sons and one daughter. His wife also works in a local clothes factory. In his free time, he enjoys listening to the radio, reading the news, watching boxing, and exercising. Last week, Channarith was in a collision with another motorbike. He did not seek any care but now he cannot work, is in pain, and cannot move his right shoulder. Fortunately, a neighbor told him about Children's Surgical Centre and the care they provide. Surgeons there have diagnosed him with a dislocated right shoulder and recommend immediate surgery. Channarith needs help with the $485 cost of closed reduction surgery on his shoulder, which will include the operation, medications, and post-operative care. Channarith shared: "I hope, after surgery, I will have full function of my shoulder, no pain, and can return to work soon."

Pauline is a 36 year old single woman, living in Kenya. She works at a facility where they take care of street children. Both of her parents have passed away, and she has no siblings. Pauline has lived in near constant pain for 26 years. After she was finally able to have an MRI, an ultrasound and blood tests, she was diagnosed with endometriosis. Because of this condition, tissue, which is similar to that of the lining of the uterus, grows outside of the uterus, enveloping the ovaries and fallopian tubes, causing chronic discomfort. The tissue can also affect other nearby organs, such as the bowel and the bladder. Surgical intervention is required to resolve this condition. With the assistance of our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, Pauline is now scheduled to undergo a hysteroscopy and operative laparoscopy, on October 11th, at AIC Kijabe Hospital. After the surgery, Pauline should be able to live her life, free from pain. Now she needs your help to fund the procedure, which costs $1,074. Pauline says: “I have always lived with pain since I was a small girl. I hope this discomfort will come to a halt once and for all.”

Sambath is a loving 78-year-old grandmother. She has two daughters and six beautiful grandchildren. Sambath's husband has unfortunately passed away, so she now lives with her youngest daughter, who is a garment worker. Sambath spends much of her time cooking for her family, caring for her grandchildren, and listening to monks pray on the radio. One year ago, Sambath developed a cataract in her left eye, causing her to experience light sensitivity, blurry vision, and eye tearing. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so she is not able to go places on her own. When she learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for three and a half hours seeking treatment. On August 9th, doctors will perform cataract surgery and place an intraocular lens implant in her left eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $253 procedure. Sambath says,"After surgery, I hope my eye can see everything clearly so I can take care of myself, go to the ceremonies at the pagoda, and help to take care of my grandchildren."

Ronah is a strong mother from Uganda who enjoys listening to music on the radio. She earned a diploma in plumbing, but due to having difficulty finding a job in that profession, she now runs a small retail shop. She lives with her husband, who is a primary school teacher, and their child. She and her husband have two children. Her secondborn child is four years old and in baby junior class. Ronah shares that she sadly lost her firstborn child one day after giving birth. She also experienced a miscarriage at three months with her second pregnancy. Ronah is currently expecting her third child. Her doctors have recommend that she deliver via caesarean section due to having two previous scars. This way, doctors can ensure the safety of both her and her child. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Ronah undergo a C-Section on July 20th. This procedure will cost $214, and she and her family need your support. Ronah shares, “I hope and pray for a successful surgery. I pray for a healthy child. I will continue to run my retail shop to provide for my family.”

Ry is a 59-year-old rice farmer. He is married with one son and three daughters. He lives with his wife and his youngest daughter who are also farmers. Ry enjoys spending his free time time listening to the news on the radio and watching TV. Four years ago, Ry developed a pterygium in his left eye, causing him itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. Pterygiums are non-cancerous growths of the conjunctiva, a mucous layer that lubricates the eye. The growths occur when the conjunctiva is exposed to excessive sun damage and the cells grow abnormally over the pupil. Ry now has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, working, and going anywhere outside. When Ry learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for two and a half hours seeking treatment. Ry needs surgery to remove the abnormal conjunctiva from the cornea surface and replace it with a graft to prevent recurrence. The total cost of his procedure is $225. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care for two days. The procedure is scheduled for October 10th. Ry says, "I hope after surgery my eye will feel comfortable and I can go back to planting crops without difficulty seeing. I'd like not to worry about my eye anymore."

Rodjana is a creative three-year-old girl from Haiti who lives in Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital city, with her parents and three older siblings. She currently attends preschool and enjoys drawings and making crafts. Rodjana has several cardiac conditions. She has a heart valve that does not adequately allow blood to be pumped through her body, as well as a hole between two blood vessels near her heart. Fortunately, Rodjana will fly to the Dominican Republic to receive cardiac treatment on September 7th. There, surgeons will repair the faulty valve and close the hole near her heart. A portion of the cost of her treatment is being supported by Haiti Cardiac Alliance. Rodjana's family needs help raising the remaining $1,500, which covers labs, medication, and travel costs. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow her to live more comfortably and confidently. Rodjana's mother says, "I am hopeful that after this surgery, my daughter will be able to play normally and be more active."

Ategyeka is a playful, four year old boy, living with his parents and three older siblings in Uganda. His mother and father are farmers, with grand hopes for Ategyeka; they would like for him to become a doctor. But, because they have limited finances for investing in their farm, and only a small parcel of land, most of the food that they grow is for the family's consumption. They sell off the surplus of what they grow to earn money for the family, but their income is very restricted. Two years ago, Ategyeka developed a hydrocele, which is a swelling in his scrotum. He is uncomfortable and often in pain. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, has stepped in to help. On October 4th, Ategyeka will undergo hydrocele repair surgery at Karoli Lwanga Hospital, Nyakibale, after which he should be able to live more comfortably. Now, Ategyeka's family needs your help in raising the $146 needed for the surgery. Ategyeka's mother says “I really love my son and I am worried about his health. Finances limit me from making his life healthy; I need your support.”

Niwabiine is a 22-year-old hairdresser living in Uganda. Niwabiine and her three siblings are orphans, who live with their widowed grandmother. While Niwabiine had dreamed of becoming a nurse, she didn't have the money to cover her school fees, and so she was unable to complete her education. However, due to the love of her grandmother, Niwabiine was able to train to be a hairdresser, and with the money that she earns, she now pays for the school fees for her younger siblings, so that they can progress further in their education than she did. Five years ago, Niwabiine began experiencing troubling symptoms, including shortness of breath, difficulty breathing and persistent headaches. After visiting the doctor, she was diagnosed with a multinodular goiter, which will need to be surgically removed, to prevent her symptoms from worsening. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Niwabiine to access the care that she needs. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on September 27th at Karoli Lwanga Hospital, Nyakibale, when surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $252, and Niwabiine and her family need your help to raise the money to pay for her surgery. Niwabiine says: “I am currently the only provider for my siblings and grandma. When I am down, they have no other person to care for them."

Elkana is a cheerful and friendly man from Kenya. He is the fourth born in a family of seven. He attended school up until class seven but had to end his studies due to financial constraints. He now works as a farmer and has a small piece of land on which he plants maize and potatoes, primarily to feed him and his family. To earn money, he works as a casual laborer, working on people's farms, as well as doing work such as clearing bushes and carrying loads. Until now, his wife has worked alongside him, but she has stopped working because she is currently pregnant. On July 16th, Elkana was brought to our medical partner's care center after being involved in a road traffic accident involving a lorry, or large truck, and a tractor. This accident left many people injured, including Elkana. He experienced a fracture of his left femur and is now experiencing pain. He is also unable to walk or stand. Without treatment, he will not be able to return to work and provide for his family. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On July 19th, Elkana will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. After surgery, he will be able to use his leg again, return to work, and continue providing for his family. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,145 to fund this procedure. Elkana shares, ”My family depends on me for their daily needs, so it is really difficult for them. Kindly help me so that I may lead a normal life once again.”