Vangilista is a small-scale farmer in southwestern Uganda. She is in her 50s, and a mother of 7 children, all of whom have either completed school or are still in school. Vangilista did not receive formal schooling herself. She raised her children with the money she earns from farming. However, the land she farms is small, and most of her effort is focused on producing enough to feed her family. Any surplus is sold to generate income for sustaining her family. Two years ago, Vangilista began experiencing heavy bleeding, lower abdominal pain, backache, and other worrying symptoms. She has been diagnosed with uterine fibroids. Vangilista needs to undergo a total hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $219 to fund Vangilista's surgery. On August 24th, she will undergo gynecological surgery at our medical partner's care center. Once recovered, Vangilista will be able to resume her daily activities free of pain. Vangilista says, “I hope when I am operated on, bleeding will stop plus all my other symptoms. I hope to get your support because I have nowhere to get money to pay for my surgery.”

Sideth is a 78-year-old widow and loving grandmother from Phnom Penh, Cambodia. She has one son and six grandchildren that she sees often, as they live just down the street. Sadly, her husband passed away due to hypertension. For the last several decades, she has earned a small living as a morning glory (water spinach) seller in the market. In her free time, she likes listening to Buddhist prayers on the radio. About a year ago, Sideth developed a cataract in her left eye, causing her itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so she cannot go places on her own. When Sideth learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), she traveled for an hour seeking treatment. On August 10th, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in her left eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. CSC is requesting $253 to fund this surgery. Sideth contributed $50 to her care. She shared, "I hope I can see better and do my work better so that I can help my family."

Leonard is a 14-year-old boy from Mpanda, Tanzania. Leonard's parents manage a small farm that provides their family with food. They also take on various additional jobs during the day, including helping on other people's farms, washing clothes, and cleaning yards, to support their family. Despite their hard work, Leonard's parents have a hard time supporting their five children and Leonard's grandparents. Leonard was diagnosed with genu varus, a condition where his legs bow outwards. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, which often stems from contaminated drinking water. Due to his condition, Leonard has difficulty walking and participating in daily activities. However, as a result of financial constraints, Leonard's family has been unable to seek treatment for him. An outreach team directed by our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), visited Leonard's village and spread the news about available treatment for genu varus. As a result, Leonard's parents were motivated to seek treatment for their son at AMH's care center. AMH is requesting $880 to fund corrective surgery for Leonard. Leonard's procedure is scheduled for June 6th. This treatment will reduce the discomfort in his legs, restore his mobility, greatly decrease his risk of future complications, and allow him to resume his daily activities. Leonard says, "I am glad that after a long wait, I get to have treatment that will make my legs better. I can't wait to enjoy playing soccer with my friends and helping my parents at the farm."