Meet Olais, a bright and energetic eight-year-old boy from Tanzania. Olais is the fourth of six children and lives with his aunt and uncle, who have three children of their own. "Olais is in kindergarten, but recently he has been complaining of pain on his knees after a long walk to school," says our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). Olais has bilateral genu valgum, also known as “knock-knee,” and this condition makes it difficult for him to walk without pain. In Tanzania, many children will receive this diagnosis due to high concentrations of fluoride in drinking water. For $940, we can provide Olais with full treatment, including surgery, casting and physiotherapy to improve his knees, and allow him to walk long distances without feeling pain. “Olais is a bright kid. He can do well in school, and we want him to go to school and later on have a good career and live a better and independent life,” share Olais' aunt and uncle.

"I hope that my son will be able to walk like other children so that he can learn how to do various activities and provide a helping hand to others as he continues to grow," says Moses' mother. Moses is a one-year-old boy in Tanzania who was born with club foot, a condition that causes his feet to grow inwards. "He is a happy baby and very active. He likes to crawl around and follow the other children who can walk," shares our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). Moses has three older siblings. His parents work as small scale farmers and raise a few livestock in order to take care of their children. “Apart from taking care of their children, they also look after a few other relatives. They work very hard, but they still failed to come up with enough cash to cover the cost of treatment which their son needs," says AMHF. Due to his club foot, Moses has not yet started to walk. "When he does start to walk he will use the lateral (or outside) aspect of his right foot for walking [which will be] painful. If not treated, Moses' gait will be affected and chances of him developing osteoarthritis will increase," says AMHF. $1,160 will fund the surgical treatment necessary to ensure that "when Moses starts to walk he will not have to use the lateral aspect of his right foot. This will allow him to walk properly and perform various activities efficiently," says AMHF.

“I hope my little sweet girl will grow up to be a leader in the future. I believe she can overcome this life challenge that her condition has caused and achieve all her dreams!'' says the father of Hanan, a one-year-old girl from Ethiopia. Hanan has anorectal malformation, which is the absence of an anal opening. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, shares that “she was born with this condition and a colostomy was done immediately, but the colostomy leaves her susceptible to infections. If the surgery is not done, Hanan could suffer distension and obstruction of the intestines.” Hanan’s father has used all his money on transportation and different treatments for his daughter, but cannot pay for the surgery she needs. With $1,500, Hanan can receive anorectal malformation repair surgery, which will allow Hanan to pass stool and grow up normally. Together we can help Hanan grow up to be the leader her father knows she can be!

Say hello to Srey Len, a cheerful 12-year-old girl from Cambodia. She is in seventh grade and really enjoys playing with her sister after school. Srey Len has been diagnosed with chronic otitis media in her right ear. This condition is caused by severe perforation of the eardrum and erosion of the middle ear. “She has experienced hearing loss and chronic ear infections with discharge,” our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre tells us. If left untreated, there is the potential for permanent hearing loss. $220 will fund surgery to ensure that Srey Len does not have to deal with the discharge from her ear anymore, and will hopefully restore her hearing. “I am excited to be back in school after my operation,” says Srey Len. Watsi donors, let’s put an end to this young girl’s problem and restore her hearing as soon as possible!

Meet Ngy. She's 16 and lives in Cambodia with her family. "Ngy was born with a congenital cataract on her left eye," Children's Surgical Centre (CSC) tells us. "Her vision has become increasingly worse over the past year. Now, Ngy cannot go anywhere on her own which makes her sad." Ngy and her family traveled 11 hours to come and try to get care. And with our help - and $150 - they will be able to! A simple surgical procedure to remove the cataract from Ngy's left eye will improve her vision, prevent blindness, and allow her to do things which she enjoys like going to the movies with her friends. Watsi, let's come together, fund Ngy's care and make sure that she can see again.

This sweet boy is Rithy, a fifth grader from Cambodia. "He enjoys having his friends come over after school to play in his house. He really likes using the computers at school and is very good at it," says our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC). For Rithy's whole life, he has experienced chronic otitis media, a condition causing recurring ear infections. As a result, he has developed hearing loss in his left ear, as well as constant ear discharge. It has become difficult for him to communicate with people. "He had been receiving treatment at a private clinic, but they didn't know he needed surgery for a long time," says CSC. "By the time they did his parents had no more money to pay for it." For $225, CSC can operate on Rithy's ear and both improve his hearing and stop the discharge. This will help him develop normally and communicate without hearing issues. Let's help Rithy receive this important treatment!

“Nun likes to play sports with other kids and his favorite subject is Physics,” our partners at Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC) in Cambodia tell us. This is Nun, a 15-year-old boy from Cambodia, who has an older brother and “loves to eat, as all boys do at his age.” Unfortunately, he has a meningoencephalocele (MEC), a defect in his skull that allows fluid to leak into a protrusion on his head. The condition can result in dangerous health complications with his eyesight and respiratory system if it's not removed. Nun requires surgery to remove and repair his MEC. “The patient will have a normal looking face after the scar has healed,” says CSC, “and he won't be at risk for MEC-related problems when he gets older,” if he is able to receive appropriate treatment. For $390, we can help Nun live without the discomfort of his MEC and protect him from future health complications.

“I want to see with both my eyes again,” 65-year-old Monicah tells us. Monicah lives in Kenya with her husband and seven children! She works to take care of their home and her husband manages their small farm. “Monicah has not been able to see using her left eye for almost two years,” explains our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). Monicah has a cataract in her left eye that significantly impairs her vision. Cataracts are characterized by clouding of the lens and are the leading cause of blindness worldwide. Monicah will need surgery to remove the cataract; her doctors at AMHF tell us, “if the surgery is not done, Monicah will never be able to see with both her eyes again.” For $230, we can fund Monicah’s cataract surgery and give her access to the care she needs to see clearly again!

Meet Maria! Maria is 52-years-old woman, living in a rural farming community in Guatemala. She raised 11 children, all of whom now live close by and are a constant source of encouragement and pride for her. Every day Maria gets up at 4 a.m. to take care of her family, feed her chickens and pigs - and then walks for 45 minutes to get some exercise and clear her head before the day starts. “Maria was diagnosed with diabetes 5 years ago, but recently her symptoms have worsened dangerously. She suffers from very high blood sugars that leave her dehydrated and in danger of needing hospitalization,” writes our medical partner Wuqu’ Kawoq (WK). With $450, WK will be able to provide treatment to stabilize Maria's blood sugar, prevent severe complications, and establish a stable management plan to keep her safe and healthy for many years to come. Maria is very thankful to have found WK's diabetes program, and she tells us that she is "confident that I will get better, with your help!"

Su Su is a 23-year-old woman living in Burma with her parents and three-year-old nephew. Due to her heart condition, Su Su had to drop out of school years ago and has had to rely on her parents for many things. “Su Su’s current symptoms include heart palpitations, difficulty breathing and tiredness. She has lost weight and is too thin for her age and height. She cannot eat much and has trouble sleeping,” our partners at Burma Border Projects (BBP) tell us. “Her mother has to assist her when visiting a clinic or hospital. If she tries to walk long distances she experiences tiredness and dizziness. She said even doing chores around the house makes her feel weak.” After many hospital and clinic visits, Su Su has finally been diagnosed with atrial septal defect, a congenital heart disease. The cardiac specialist at BBP has determined that Su Su will need an operation to fix this condition. It will cost $1,500 to fund the surgery to fix Su Su’s heart defect, which is far more than Su Su’s parents can afford. They have already sold their farm to pay for past medical expenses, and do not have the money to cover the costs of this important surgery for Su Su. After treatment, Su Su hopes to live healthy and strong, continuing her education or starting a business – let's help make that happen!

“I very much wish that the position of my son’s feet can be corrected to allow him to step properly. That will enable him to easily and quickly walk to school, competently play with other children, and people will stop passing comments about his feet,” said Paulo’s mother. Meet Paulo, an adorable and polite nine-year-old boy from Tanzania. The first born in his family, Paulo is energetic and creative; he is often found playing card games with other children or pretending to drive a car. Paulo’s mother works very hard to provide for her family and together with two other women, rents a place in their hometown for a tailoring business. Although Paulo’s mother is able to provide for her family’s daily necessities, she is unable to cover her son’s medical expenses. “Paulo walks with difficulties because he is using the lateral aspect of his feet for walking, a condition known as bilateral clubfoot,” his doctors at our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, share. “He has to have special shoes made for him, otherwise he cannot wear shoes. Paulo’s gait will continue to be impaired if not treated, and that will affect his ability to perform his daily activities.” In order to correct Paulo’s gait, he will need x-rays, casts, clubfoot surgery, and recovery treatment. $1,160 will cover the cost of Paulo’s treatment, ensuring he will grow up strong, walking normally, and enjoying activities like all of the other children in his town. Let’s work together and get Paulo the healthcare he deserves!