Meet Rosy, a one-year-old girl from Guatemala. Despite coming from a loving family, Rosy is chronically unwell as a result of acute malnutrition. “Rosy’s family is extremely poor, and the majority of her caloric intake comes from nutrient poor tortillas,” explains our medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq (WK). “This diet has restricted Rosy’s ability to grow physically and mentally, and now she is hitting developmental milestones months behind an average child her age.” Without intervention, Rosy’s condition will impact her health and ability to succeed in school. Her immune system will be unable to successfully combat infections, translating into further sickness, low energy, and inability to concentrate. As a result, her ability to learn will decline, thus decreasing her likelihood of succeeding later in life. Rosy is an only child, so if her parents receive nutritional education and supplemental support, they will have a good chance of ensuring economic stability for the family. “I want what is best for my child,” says Rosy’s mother. “I have heard about what you do, and I hope you can help me be a better mother to her.” Rosy’s family can put Rosy’s health back on track with our help. For $535, Rosy will receive the proper treatment for her malnutrition. This treatment will supply her with growth monitoring, micronutrient and food supplementation, and medication for her to help her attain healthy growth. In addition, Rosy’s mother will receive nutrition education that will build her confidence in ensuring Rosy has a healthy childhood.

Walfred is a baby boy who lives with his family in Guatemala. Our medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq (WK), tells us, “When we visited Walfred at his house, he was suffering from chronic diarrhea and a cough. His mother knew he was not growing well and was extremely happy when we arrived because her neighbor had mentioned that we could be of help.” “When we weighed and measured Walfred, it became apparent that he is suffering from acute malnutrition," WK reports. "Walfred’s mom was embarrassed to tell us that she has been feeding him diluted powdered cow’s milk and sugar water. She told us that she didn’t know what else do when she realized she was unable to produce breast milk, and they didn’t have enough money to afford formula.” Walfred’s family does not have easy access to clean water, so not only is Walfred not receiving sufficient nutrients and antibodies, but he also has a parasitic infection. WK elaborates, “Walfred is the youngest of 10 children. His father is a sharecropper and does not own land. He has been worried about providing for his family for a long time, and is extremely happy to start working with us. Walfred’s siblings love him, and like to carry him on their backs while they do other chores around the house. The family is well known and respected in the community.” With $1,220 in funding, WK will provide nutrition education, formula supplementation, and deworming medication for Walfred and his mother. WK reports, “Treating lactation failure is easy and effective. Formula supplementation promotes normal physical and mental development and gives the child the chance to reach their full growth potential. Nutrition education provides the mother with the skills she needs to ensure her child’s healthy growth and development.” Walfred’s mother shares, “I am so thankful that you sought me out.” Let’s help Walfred regain his health and reach his developmental milestones!

Say hi to Babe, a five-year-old boy from Ethiopia! “Babe is the youngest of three children. He lives with his grandparents while the two older siblings live with his parents," our medical partner, the African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), tells us. Unfortunately, Babe deals with inflammation of the bone in his lower right leg and cannot walk as a result. “Both Babe’s father and his grandfather are farmers. They are poor already but have spent any money they had on Babe’s [previous unsuccessful] treatment at the government hospital. Because of this chronic condition Babe has not been able to be active for the last 7 months,” explains AMHF. For $535, Babe will receive surgery to remove the dead bone in his leg, after which new bone is expected to grow. After completion of Babe’s treatment, it is expected that he will be able to walk again and live a normal life. Let’s help Babe walk back into a healthy childhood!

“I’m sad I cannot earn money to support my family,” says Voeurn, a 35-year-old mother of three from Cambodia. Recently, her vision has started to blur, and she has had to stop working selling fish at the market. Voeurn has an immature cataract in her right eye. “Her eye often tears and is painful,” our medical partner Children’s Surgical Centre tells us. If left untreated, her vision will likely become worse. With $150, Voeurn can receive cataract surgery. This will improve her eyesight and reduce her pain. “I miss watching my favorite Korean drama on TV,” Voeurn says. Together, we can help Voeurn get better so she can support her family and enjoy her favorite show again. Let’s do it!

Say hello to Shailande, a 20-day-old baby from Haiti who was born with a condition called an omphalocele, a birth defect in which the infant's intestine or other abdominal organs stick out of the belly button. “There is no skin covering part of her abdomen, which needs to be closed by surgery. Her intestine remains outside of her abdomen and her navel has become infected, causing her to experience abdominal pains,” explains our medical partner, Project Medishare. Shailande is the youngest of four children. Her mother sells food, and her father is only able to do random jobs in their zone of Cite Soleil, one of the poorest and most dangerous areas in Haiti. With their combined income, affording medical treatment is not possible. For $1,500, Shailande can finally have the surgery necessary to close her abdomen in addition to the antibiotics that can heal her infection. “I am excited to see the deformation gone and see my baby’s belly healed,” says Shailande’s mother. Let's make it happen for them!

Meet Santa, a sweet and hard-working Maya K'ichee' mother of three grown children who lives in Guatemala. Santa is 57-years-old and has been living with diabetes for the past ten years. Since her husband died a few months ago, money has been tight and Santa has had a difficult time keeping her diabetes under control. Without her husband's extra income, Santa has not had the time or resources she needs to pay for her medications, doctors visits, or healthy foods to keep her blood glucose and blood pressure at healthy levels. As a result, Santa's vision is failing and she's chronically dehydrated and fatigued--making it hard for her to walk. Santa is at increased risk of stroke, heart attack, and an untimely death. For $450, Santa will enter an acute diabetes treatment plan to control her blood pressure and glucose so that she returns to a stable and healthy state. Treatment will improve Santa's energy and will reduce her risk of stroke and heart attack so that she can do what she loves; "spend more time raising chickens again, and...be able to go to church more regularly." Let's help Santa return to good health!

Meet Dacheka, a one-year-old baby girl from Haiti. Dacheka lives with her 17-year-old mother and her grandmother. Dacheka has hydrocephalus, a condition where the brain swells with excess fluids. Hydrocephalus can be fatal if not immediately treated. “I wish to be able to take care of my baby well and then return to school when she’s fine,” Dacheka’s mother shares. “I want to thank you for what you are doing for us.” For $1,260, Dacheka can get a shunt placement, which Project Medishare explains will “drain the liquids out of her head and fix the fluids circulation problem. This will give her access to have a healthier life and a good chance to grow up.”

“Celine is a friendly and a lovable mother of two children,” says our medical partner, Lwala Community Alliance. “She likes cooking and helping those who are less privileged. Her husband spends most of his time on the farm, but also as wage laborers to sustain this wonderful family.” Celine is 25-years-old and lives in Kenya. She’s currently pregnant with her third child! While she is excited for her family to expand, this pregnancy hasn’t been easy. “Celine experiences swollen feet after sitting for a long time, fatigue, extra eating that forces her husband to work extra harder for Celine and the fetus to be healthy,” Lwala tells us. Celine would like to give birth in a medical facility and have access to high-quality postnatal care. "I hope to deliver safely and continue with my work as a hairdresser to sustain my family," she says. The cost of a safe delivery is $290. Together, we can make sure Celine's baby is brought into the world safely!

Say hello to Reaksa! She is a sweet five-year-old girl who lives in Cambodia. Two months ago, Reaksa broke her leg in a motorbike accident. She was given a bamboo cast in her village, resulting in a malunion of her tibia. This means her fracture healed in a position that affects the mechanical function of her leg. Walking is often painful and difficult for Reaksa. Reaksa wants to walk the way she did before the accident. Let’s raise $300 and give Reaksa an ORIF osteotomy, a treatment that will shift the weight away from the damaged cartilage to an area with healthier cartilage, improving her mobility. Let’s help Reaksa get back on her feet!

Thi Aye is a skillful 18-year-old young woman from Burma who has been living with a hemangioma in her left cheek her entire life. Hemangioma is a benign tumor, though it can become enlarged over time and causes pain, discomfort, and emotional side effects. As the years went by, the hemangioma began to interfere with her eating, as she would bite the growth on her left cheek when chewing her food. When she was 14, Thi Aye dropped out of school and started delivering vegetables at the market to help support her family. At work and in the evening she felt a painful tightness in her mouth, and she would have severe headaches about once a week. She carried the vegetables in a large basket on her head, but after a few months of working the basket's weight began to put pressure on the hemangioma, causing her severe discomfort. Her condition made it impossible to continue selling vegetables, though Thi Aye was determined to continue to work. Five months ago she began working at home sewing clothing until her family’s home burned down in December 2013. She now lives under the shelter of a tree with eight other family members while her father builds a new home in a new village. Thi Aye has undergone surgery twice for her condition around the age of 16, though both surgeries failed to completely remove the hemangioma. Thi Aye is now seeking permanent surgical removal of her tumor, which will free her of pain and give her a fresh start. Thi Aye is very eager to work again and looks forward to undergoing treatment so she can regain her confidence and find a new job that she enjoys. For $1500 we can help Thi Aye to live pain-free so she can focus on finding her passion!

Veronica is an adorable 10-day-old baby living in Tanzania. Veronica was the first child of her newlywed parents. But three months before her birth, her father passed away. Now, Veronica is facing a new challenge. She has a lesion on her back that is leaking cerebral spinal fluid. Her mother is a casual laborer who mostly does farm work. She is working hard to take care of Veronica on her own, and says, “Please help my baby get well. She is all I’ve got.” $1025 will pay for a myelomeningocele closure and ventriculoperitoneal shunt insertion, a surgery that will save Veronica’s life. As she grows, she will be able to sit, stand, and walk alone. Let's make it happen!

Meet Magdaline, a one-year-old from Kenya. Magdaline has hydrocephalus, a condition in which fluid accumulates in her skull. As a result, she cannot sit unaided. If she does not receive surgery, she is likely to develop brain damage and pass away. Magdaline's father is a laborer, while her mother is a housewife. They fully depend on the income that the father earns from the casual jobs he does from time to time. Unfortunately, they are unable to raise funds for Magdaline’s surgery. Magdaline’s mother is hopeful that her child will get help and be able to live a healthy life. She says, “I look forward to seeing my daughter growing up and living a healthy and normal life.” This is a hope we can fulfill. For $980, a surgical procedure can be performed that will drain the excess fluids from Magdaline's head, relieve her symptoms, and help her grow up normally. Let's do it!