Jenelyn is a playful 13-month-old girl from the Philippines. She lives with her parents and four siblings in a remote area on Palawan Island. Her father farms cashew nuts, but his income does not meet the family's basic needs. They do not have access to electricity at home, and they obtain their water from a deep well. Jenelyn has been diagnosed with moderately acute malnutrition. Malnutrition threatens her growth and development and could even be fatal if not addressed. Fortunately, she will begin $184 malnutrition treatment on February 22. Jenelyn will be treated by International Care Ministries (ICM), a Watsi medical partner. One out of five children under five in ICM communities is either severely or moderately 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 add risk to potentially fatal childhood diseases. ICM’s home-based feeding program provides nutrient-enriched food packs to ensure malnourished children get additional food to regain normal weight and achieve optimum physical and mental development. After identifying a child as malnourished, staff and community volunteers make weekly visits to monitor this child’s progress. To help sustain the health of the child, ICM’s professional staff educate the mother, guardian, or other family members about proper nutrition, sanitation, hygiene, and organic vegetable gardening. Jenelyn's mother says, "I am very thankful and excited because Jenelyn was selected to be part of this feeding program. I am looking forward with the positive results it will bring to my daughter. I hope she will be healthier and smart."

Shiela is an 18-month-old baby from the Philippines. She lives in a small house made of metal sheets and bamboo. Her father works as a carpenter to support the family. Shiela's parents say that their daughter loves sucking on her thumb. Shiela has been diagnosed with moderately acute malnutrition. Malnutrition threatens her growth and development and could even be fatal if not addressed. Fortunately, she will begin $184 malnutrition treatment on February 22. Shiela will be treated by International Care Ministries (ICM), a Watsi medical partner. One out of five children under five in ICM communities is either severely or moderately 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 add risk to potentially fatal childhood diseases. ICM’s home-based feeding program provides nutrient-enriched food packs to ensure malnourished children get additional food to regain normal weight and achieve optimum physical and mental development. After identifying a child as malnourished, staff and community volunteers make weekly visits to monitor this child’s progress. To help sustain the health of the child, ICM’s professional staff educate the mother, guardian, or other family members about proper nutrition, sanitation, hygiene, and organic vegetable gardening. Shiela's mother is excited for her daughter's future. She says, "I hope that my child will soon learn to walk and grow strong and healthy. I hope she becomes a nurse one day."

Ken is a 16-month-old boy from Guimaras, an island in central Philippines. He lives with family in a bamboo house lit by gas lanterns. He has five siblings, with whom he loves to play. His father works as a carpenter. Ken has been diagnosed with acute malnutrition. "I hope he becomes a healthy boy and finishes his studies," says his mother, who is very worried about her son's health. Our medical partner, International Care Ministries, is requesting $268 to cover the cost of an in-home feeding program to treat Ken's malnutrition. This will pay for nutrient-enriched food packs, weekly visits from medical staff, and health education for family members. Ken is scheduled to begin treatment on February 23. After treatment, he will return to playing with his siblings.

Carlos is a one-month-old baby boy from Guatemala. His lives with his parents and eight older siblings. His father works as a day laborer, and his mother is a homemaker. Carlos is experiencing lactational failure. He does not receive proper nutrients due to his mother's inability to produce sufficient breast milk. To stabilize his condition, Carlos was given a preliminary supply of formula, but his parents cannot afford to buy a continuous supply. On February 16, Carlos will begin treatment at our medical partner's care center, Clinic Miller. Our medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq, is asking for $1,107 to cover the cost of Carlos's nutritional supplements. Funds will also go toward a nutrition education program for his mother. "I want to thank you for the help Carlos will receive," says Carlos's mother. "God bless you for what you do."

Eugene is a ten-month-old boy from the Philippines. An only child, he lives with his parents in a bamboo house. Weak and susceptible to illness, Eugene has been diagnosed with severe acute malnutrition. His mother is concerned for his health, but she looks forward to his recovery and hopes that her son will someday become a teacher. Our medical partner, International Care Ministries, is requesting $268 to cover the cost of an in-home feeding program to treat Eugene's malnutrition. This will pay for nutrient-enriched food packs, weekly visits from medical staff, and health education for family members. Eugene is scheduled to begin treatment on February 23.

Austine is a curious one-year-old boy from Uganda. He is the first child born to his parents, Scovia and Ronald. Austine's father, Ronald, works as a cook at a lodge. His mother, Scovia, stays at home to take care of him. Austine just started walking and is learning how to kick a ball. Austine was born with a hernia in a sensitive area, leaving his testicles undescended. On April 4, Austine will undergo surgery at Bwindi Community Hospital, our medical partner's care center, to correct his hernia. Our medical partner, The Kellermann Foundation, is asking for $179 to cover the cost of his treatment. Scovia looks forward to taking Austine to school when he is older. She is also grateful to all the donors for their help. She says, "Thank you to all the donors for supporting us."

Sokhorn is a 58-year-old woman living in Cambodia with her husband, three sons, one daughter, and eight grandchildren. She is a nun at the pagoda, and she "spends her time meditating, cleaning around the pagoda, and reading the Bible," says our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC). Sokhorn has cataracts in her left eye, which causes blurred vision, tearing and irritation. Sokhorn is fearful of the sunshine and says "It is hard to see everything clearly so I can not read or go walking anywhere very well." CSC shares that Sokhorn traveled seven hours with her husband to reach their services. For $225, Sokhorn’s cataract can be surgically corrected. Cataract surgery is an outpatient surgery and takes about one hour in total. Cataract surgery has high impact for improving visual acuity and improving quality of life. "I hope my eye can see everything clearer," Sokhorn says, "so I can help the monks cook food, and I can read letters more clearly."

Meet Bora, a 21-year-old man from Cambodia. Our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), shares: “After Bora finished grade 12, he began working in a garment factory making clothes. He is unmarried, and has two sisters and one brother. He likes listening to the radio and playing football with his neighbors in the village.” When Bora was six years old, he began to notice discharge, or otorrhea, coming from his right ear. Bora has a condition known as cholesteatoma (abnormal skin growth in the middle ear) and otorrhea is one of the major symptoms. According to CSC, Bora’s cholesteatoma is the source of recurrent discharge, hearing loss, and ear pain. "I have discharge everyday, which makes me unhappy,” says Bora. “I also cannot work anymore because of the pain." After hearing about CSC from a friend, Bora and his brother traveled two hours to visit the clinic. While there, they learned that Bora’s condition can be treated with a mastoidectomy. For $225, Bora will undergo a mastoidectomy. During this procedure, Bora’s mastoid air cells will be removed, lessening Bora’s discharge and allowing him to regain his hearing. Bora’s brother expresses, "I hope that after the operation my brother won't have any pain and his hearing will improve."

“Heydy likes to play and imitate her mother’s singing voice,” our medical partner, Wuku’ Kawoq (WK), tells us. “She also likes to look at picture books.” At 21 months old, Heydy is the youngest of her three siblings. Her parents support the family through farm labor and weaving. Heydy often has night sweats and suffers from allergies, her mother explains. Her height and weight are far below the average for her age, indicating acute malnutrition. The family has a limited ability to afford healthy, nutritious meals and the calories Heydy does absorb are being lost as a result of her diarrhea. Malnutrition has serious consequences for children like Heydy in Guatemala. Without treatment, she will continue to miss major mental and physical developmental milestones that are important for her to reach her potential. Her immune system will suffer, exposing her to chronic illness, and her energy and concentration levels will suffer. To get her health back on track, Heydy needs intervention by doctors and nutritionists. WK is confident in the difference this treatment will make on Heydy’s health. “She will receive micronutrient and food supplementation as well as medication to treat her fever and the gastrointestinal infection causing her diarrhea. This will help her to absorb the calories she consumes and increase her appetite,” they explain. “We believe this treatment will help her to gain both weight and height, strengthen her immune system, and help her get back on track to develop her full potential.” In addition to Heydy’s treatment, her mother will receive education nutritional classes to give her the tools to support the family’s nutritional health in the long-term. For $535 Heydy will receive the care she needs. These funds will cover the costs for the family to travel to the treatment center, afford the medicines and nutritional supplements as well as the nutritional education. Her mother is grateful for the opportunity to have Heydy treated. “This is going to help us because buying what Heydy needs is very difficult,” she shares. “I’m so happy to have her entered in this program.”

Meet Yuvraj, a six year-old boy from Nepal. “Yuvraj's father works in Qatar to make ends meet for his family back home. And his mother looks after the family of four - his grandparents, his uncle and himself,” says our medical partner, Possible. Yuvraj is in kindergarten and enjoys playing with his friends and listening to stories. “Yuvraj was playing on the back of a truck when he lost his balance and fell down, fracturing his right elbow. He has been in immense pain since then and his hand has considerably swollen too,” says Possible. In the area of Nepal where Possible works, getting proper care outside of a hospital is difficult for patients with fractures. In these areas, there are not enough people or equipment to provide proper first aid. For $224, we can fund a treatment that will heal Yuvraj's fracture. The treatment will ensure that Yuvraj's bones are aligned correctly, and a plaster cast will allow the fracture to heal properly. Within a month's time, he will be able to do all the activities he was doing before. The success rates for this treatment are nearly 100 percent. Let's help Yuvraj get back to good health and fund this treatment. “Yuvraj has been badly injured, I am worried if his treatment will be successful,” says his uncle.

Meet Alina, a four-year-old girl who lives in Nepal with her parents and two brothers. Recently, Alina slipped while walking down the stairs and broke her left leg. Alina needs surgery to reset the fracture and allow her to heal and walk normally again, without swelling and pain. Alina's aunt tells our medical partner, Possible, "even gently moving her leg makes her wail in pain. She has difficulty doing any activity that involves moving her leg." Alina needs an operation, but her family is unable to afford it. Her father works abroad in India while her mother takes care of Alina, her two brothers, and the family farm. For $224 Alina will have her fracture surgically reset so that her bones heal properly. With treatment, Alina will be able to move without pain. Alina's family has been worried about her health. Her aunt shares, "Alina has been in a lot of pain. I wish for her treatment to happen quickly so that she can feel better."

Meet Kyomugisha, a 29-year-old mother of four living in Uganda. Kyomugisha works as a farmer, and her husband works as a taxi driver. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), shares that Kyomugisha has had a supraumbilical hernia since 2011 -- causing her to have recurrent abdominal swelling and pain. An umbilical hernia occurs when part of the intestine or fatty tissue bulges through the muscle near the belly button, creating a hole in the abdominal wall. The incidence of an umbilical hernia is higher for women who have had multiple pregnancies. “Kyomugisha first thought they were ulcers but the pain kept on increasing,” AMHF explains. “She went to the hospital for treatment and was told she had a hernia that needed repair by operation. Since Kyomugisha did not have the money, she decided to go back home.” If Kyomugisha does not have surgery, she risks having an intestinal obstruction and acute abdominal pain. Her husband’s income alone cannot support their family. “Kyomugisha has to toil to sustain the family and pay the school fees for their children,” AMHF says. “Kyomugisha cannot therefore afford to pay for the surgery required to be well again.” For $120, Kyomugisha can undergo a herniorrhaphy, in which the weak spot in the abdominal wall is repaired by sewing together edges of healthy muscle tissue. After the procedure, AMHF expects that she will no longer be in pain and will be able to work again. “When I get the surgery,” shares Kyomugisha, “I shall be able to work harder and continue to pay the fees for my children.”