Meet Nafissa. She is a 25-year old woman who shared that she tends to be very shy and reserved. She lives with her parents and her young child in an area of Burkina Faso where conflict is currently impacting their lives deeply. When she was a child, Nafissa developed a painful growth on the left side of her chin. This swelling in her lower jawbone affected her ability to eat, and was determined to be a benign tumor that needed to be removed. Her parents were able to secure the funds to send Nafissa to a hospital in Togo, where she could be treated at no cost to her family. The growth was removed, and for several years, Nafissa did well. However, the growth recurred, and in the middle of last year, Nafissa returned to Togo, where the second growth was excised. This time, however, the surgeon determined that her whole jawbone would also need to be removed. As the doctor in Togo did not have the necessary training to perform the surgery that Nafissa needed, he referred her to a physician with our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare. Miraculously, Nafissa is now scheduled for a major jaw surgery with the leading team at AIC Kijabe Hospital in Kenya. As Nafissa's husband abandoned her because of her condition, and provides no support to Nafissa or their child, Nafissa and her parents are looking to you to help fund the $1,500 procedure, which will finally relieve Nafissa of the pain and symptoms that result from the tumor. Nafissa says: “It pains me that I have to stay at home with no friends. Making it worse, I cannot work to provide for my child.”

Nim is a 65-year-old retired rice farmer. She is a widow with three sons, four daughters, and 12 grandchildren, living in Cambodia. She currently stays with her youngest daughter, who helps support them by working in a nearby garment factory. Five months ago Nim developed a cataract in her right eye. As the cataract has continued to grow, Nim's vision has become increasingly impaired, making her reluctant to go out on her own, and causing her itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. Nim sought help from our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre. Now, she is scheduled for cataract surgery on January 10th, at Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre. During the surgery, doctors will remove the cataract, and implant an intraocular lens in Nim's eye. Now she needs your help to fund this $253 procedure. Nim said: "I hope after surgery my eye can see better. I want to easily go out to far away places - and I want to go by myself, and I want to take care of my grandchildren."

Ly is a 61-year-old grandmother. She lives with her husband and has one son, four daughters, and seven grandchildren. They are rice farmers in Kampong Chnnang province, which has a 1,500-year-old tradition of making clay pottery which they are proud of. When not working outside, Ly likes to visit the pagoda for ceremonies or listen to the monks pray on the local radio. Two years ago, Ly developed a cataract in her left eye, causing her tearing, cloudy vision, and sensitivity to light. She can no longer cook well or do housework due to her limited vision. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so is not able to go many places on her own. When Ly learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for two and a half hours seeking treatment. On January 2nd, doctors will perform small incision cataract surgery and implant a new lens in her left eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $253 procedure. She shared: "I hope my eyesight can improve so I can take care of my family again."