Alena is a 42-year-old woman from central Malawi. She lives with her husband and five children on their small groundnut farm. When not caring for her children, sweeping, and cooking, Alena loves spending time with her family and chatting with her neighbors. One year ago, Alena began to experience severe pelvic pain and bleeding. Upon arrival at our medical partner's care center, it was discovered that she has cervical cancer. Doctors recommended that she undergo a hysterectomy as soon as possible. Alena is scheduled to receive treatment on January 19. Our medical partner, World Altering Medicine, is requesting $643 to cover the cost of the operation, medication, and seven nights of hospital stay. After recovery, Alena looks forward to returning home to her family, living free of cancer and pain. "I am very ready for the operation," she says. "And I am so thankful Watsi was here to help me."

El-el is a three-year-old boy who lives with his parents in a small house made of scrap materials. His father does not have a stable job and cannot provide for his family's basic needs. El-el, who cannot walk or swallow properly, is severely malnourished. He weighs much less than other children his age. One out of five children under five years of age in communities served by our medical partner, International Care Ministries (ICM), is either severely or moderately acutely malnourished. Worldwide, poor nutrition is associated with nearly half of all deaths in young children. In remote communities and urban slums of the Philippines, the lack of clean water and unclean environments increase the risk of potentially fatal childhood diseases. Fortunately, El-el began ICM's malnutrition treatment program on October 17, 2016. ICM’s Home-Based Feeding program provides nutrient-enriched food packs to ensure malnourished children get the additional food to gain weight and achieve optimal physical and mental development. After identifying a malnourished child, ICM staff and community volunteers make weekly visits to monitor the child’s progress. To help sustain the health of the child, professional staff members educate the mother, guardian, or other family members about proper nutrition, sanitation, hygiene, and organic vegetable gardening. $289 pays for El-el to participate in the Home-Based Feeding program and receive the nutritional supplementation that he needs to grow up healthy and strong. "We really hope that El-el will be able to see the world someday, somehow," his parents say.

"I hope to see my son growing up to be strong and healthy so that he can finish his studies and become a policeman someday," says the mother of Egan, a 21-month-old boy from the Philippines. Her son has been diagnosed with moderately acute malnutrition––a condition in which his diet does not provide him with sufficient nutrients and calories. Egan lives with his parents in a small house made of bamboo, and he loves to play ball games with his mother. His father works as a driver, but he does not make enough money to fully support his family. In Egan's community, one out of five children under age five is either moderately or severely acutely malnourished. Lack of clean water and unsanitary environments add to the dangers faced by children in such areas. Fortunately, Egan began malnutrition treatment on October 18, 2016. Egan's $184 treatment is provided by Watsi's medical partner, International Care Ministries (ICM). ICM's home-based feeding program supplies nutrient-enriched food packs to malnourished children to help them attain normal weight and achieve optimum physical and mental development. To monitor Egan's progress in the program, ICM staff and volunteers will make weekly visits to check up on him. The home-based feeding program also considers Egan's long-term health by educating his family members about proper nutrition, hygiene, and sanitation. This will help Egan sustain the gains that he makes during the intervention period.