Meet Charles, a 56-year-old father of five children from Uganda. Despite being orphaned at a young age, he has proven himself to be a smart and respected businessman. Due to his circumstances, Charles was only able to complete primary school. His tearoom business has been the main source of income for his family, enabling him to support his children's education and sustain their livelihood. However, recently, the tearoom business has been facing challenges, resulting in reduced profits. To cope with the family expenses, Charles and his wife have taken up farming alongside the tearoom business. In his free time, he enjoys listening to the radio to stay informed about current affairs. Since 2022, Charles has been dealing with a medical issue called a hydrocele, which causes swelling around his groin. This condition has been causing him pain while performing daily activities, discomfort while walking, and a persistent feeling of fullness in the scrotal area when he stands for long periods. After consulting with a doctor, he was diagnosed with a non-communicating hydrocele. The doctor advised him to undergo hydrocelectomy to prevent potential complications, such as infections that could be life-threatening. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), can help. Charles is scheduled to undergo hydrocele repair surgery on August 2nd at AMH's care center. AMH is now requesting $139 to help fund Charles's surgery. Once the procedure is completed, it is hoped that he will experience improved comfort and confidence in his daily life. Charles says, "Surgery is the only hope I'm left with to restore my health. Without your support, I have no other way to pay for my surgery and hence I appeal for your support.”

Sochan is a 41-year-old rice farmer from Cambodia. He lives just outside the capital of Phnom Penh with his wife, daughter, and son. His wife is also a rice farmer, and his daughter recently got a job in a garment factory. Their son is still in school and about to complete 9th grade. In his downtime, Sochan likes to go to the pagoda to pray. In October 2022, Sochan was walking down the street when he was hit in the back of the head by a robber and fell. His phone and cash were stolen. He sustained some injuries from the fall, including a clavicle fracture. His wife took him to a nearby provincial hospital where surgeons fixated hardware to heal the clavicle fracture. Sochan and his wife spent their savings to pay for the procedure. Now, the hardware is no longer serving a purpose and causes him Sochan pain and discomfort in his right shoulder and arm. He is unable to work and worries about the future of his family. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), can help. On June 7th, Sochan will undergo a hardware removal procedure, which will cost $304. This procedure will improve his range of motion and eliminate pain. Sochan contributed $100 to his care. He shared, "I don't want to be in pain anymore, and I want to work to support my family."

Masanja is an 11-year-old boy from Kitavi, Tanzania. His parents are farmers, working to provide for their family’s subsistence needs. Masanja was born with clubfeet - a birth abnormality in which his feet are twisted out of shape or position. The tissues connecting the muscles to the bone (tendons) are shorter than usual, causing the feet to twist and making walking and wearing shoes difficult. The nearest hospital could not provide the treatment he needed, and Masanja has a difficult time walking. Because of this, Masanja made the difficult decision to leave school temporarily as it is far from home. He now is responsible for the grazing of his father's cows. Masanja hopes to return to school. His parents, while supportive of Masanja's dreams, cannot afford the medical treatment necessary to allow Masanja mobility. Masanja's father learned that services would be available at the Plaster House, a care center of our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH). Upon Masanja's arrival at the center, he received a warm welcome and an initial assessment. A treatment plan was developed. The medical team will begin clubfoot treatment on September 15. AMH is requesting $935 to fund Masanja's clubfoot repair. After treatment, his mobility will be restored, and he will be able to resume school. Masanja says: “I want to be able to walk without discomfort. My leg has been causing me pain for a while.”