Proscovia is a 29-year-old lady from Uganda. She had been employed in a factory for the past five years. However, when she became pregnant, she was dismissed from the payroll due to the factory's policy of not allowing employees with babies. This left her with no choice but to become the primary caregiver for her baby. Her husband works as a security assistant at a supermarket. Unfortunately, both lack the means to raise the necessary funds for the surgery that she now needs. For the past two years, she has been experiencing progressive neck swelling which is worsening. Proscovia has begun to experience troubling symptoms including speech difficulties, and is unable to talk well anymore. Even small activities cause her to become easily fatigued. Moreover, she sometimes struggles to breathe appropriately and experiences profuse sweating, especially at night. She was diagnosed with multinodular goiter. She needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Proscovia receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on July 4th 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 raising money. Proscovia shared quietly, “I kindly seek consideration and support for my surgery. I will be very grateful and live a better quality of life as I look for another job for a living.”

Ramal is a 5-month-old baby from Kenya and the only child in his family. His parents separated before he was born. Ramal lives with his mother and great-grandparents. Ramal’s great-grandmother works jobs on people’s farms to earn a living, while his mother does laundry and also works casual jobs to provide for the family. Ramal’s family does not have NHIF coverage and needs assistance raising the required amount for Ramal’s hospital bills. Ramal was born two months early at seven months of pregnancy and was admitted to the nursery for two months. While in the nursery, the doctors noticed his head increasing in size, and upon close examination, he was diagnosed with hydrocephalus. When he was discharged, the doctors referred the family to another hospital in their home county for treatment. His mother gathered some funds and took him to the hospital, where he was booked for clinics and waited for surgery. This continued for a few months until a doctor referred them to our medical partner’s care center for treatment. Once arrived, an urgent shunt insertion surgery was scheduled. Ramal has been diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain and increases intracranial pressure. As a result, Ramal has been experiencing an increasing head circumference. Without treatment, Ramal will experience severe physical and developmental delays. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is requesting $720 to cover the cost of surgery for Ramal to treat his hydrocephalus. The procedure is scheduled to take place on November 15th and will drain the excess fluid from Ramal’s brain, thus reducing intracranial pressure and greatly improving his quality of life. With proper treatment, Ramal will develop into a strong, healthy young boy as he grows. Ramal’s mother said, “This condition is something that we have never seen before. This made us worried for Ramal’s health.”

Khetyas is a 73-year-old retired rice farmer from Kampot province. She has one daughter and four grandchildren. Sadly, she lost her husband during the Khmer Rouge regime, thus she lives with her daughter, who sells fish. She cares for her grandchildren while her daughter works, and in her free time enjoys going to the local mosque. About one year ago, Khetyas developed a cataract in her right eye, causing itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. As a result, it is difficult for her to cook for her grandchildren because she cannot see well in the dimly lit kitchen. She also has difficulty seeing colors and faces clearly. She is concerned about falling or injuring herself due to poor eyesight, so she does not like going out on her own and requires someone to accompany her. When Khetyas learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), she traveled for four and a half hours to seek treatment. Fortunately, doctors at CSC were able to diagnose her symptoms and create a treatment plan quickly. On May 9th, doctors will perform cataract surgery on Khetyas. Doctors will implant an intraocular lens in her right eye. After recovery, she will recover her eyesight and be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $253 procedure. Khetyas shared, "I hope after surgery I can see better and do housework well."