Eva is a 37-year-old mother from Uganda. Her husband works in a Sacco and she owns a small hairdressing business in her local village. However, due to limited capital for expansion, her business has not been able to compete with similar businesses in the area and her husband's job does not provide financial stability for their family. 15 years ago, Eva began to experience troubling symptoms, including a painful swelling on the front of her neck, shortness of breath, and disfigurement of her neck. She was diagnosed with a goiter, an abnormal enlargement of the thyroid gland. She needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Eva receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on February 14th 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 to raise the funds. Eva says “I know that my condition has limited my progress, but I hope that now I will have the surgery done under your support, I will live a happy and improved lifestyle as I resume with my work.”

Maureen is a playful 5-year-old from Tanzania. Her favorite activities are watching television, helping her mother do laundry or fetch water, and pretend play - she loves pretending to be a nurse! She has three siblings, and her parents work full-time for the local government. They also tried running a business to increase their earnings, but it was unsustainable alongside paying for Maureen's treatment needs. Maureen was in a fire accident when she was two years old. She received treatment for the burns she sustained on the right side of her body; however, she has burn scar contractures after the wound healed. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is helping Maureen receive treatment. On February 27th, surgeons at AMH's care center will perform a burn contracture release surgery to allow her to use her right hand again. AMH is requesting $639 to fund this procedure. Maureen’s mother says, “We are very concerned about her condition because we see how it affects her physically and emotionally.”

Abel is a 75-year-old small-scale farmer from Uganda. He is a sharp man who is advanced in age but is still strong and active. He is the proud father of six children. Of his three sons, two are teachers and one is in the bodaboda business. His daughters are all married and work as farmers. In his evenings, he passes the time grazing his goats and sheep. For the past three years, Abel has experienced left inguinal swelling and has had a left inguinal hernia. The swelling causes sharp pain, especially when lifting heavy objects. He cannot stand or sit for long periods, and the swelling intensifies when he coughs or laughs. Due to limited finances, he has never been to the hospital until recently when the pain became unbearable. Fortunately, on March 14th, he will undergo hernia repair surgery at our medical partner's care center. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $230 to fund Abel's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably and confidently. Abel says, “I hope I will surely get better after being operated and I am happy that the hospital bill will be settled.”