Chan is twelve years old and in the sixth grade. He has a twin brother named Chit. In his free time, he enjoys watching TV, reading his school books, and playing with other children. Chan was born bowlegged, meaning his legs curved outward at the knee. He was also diagnosed with metabolic bone disease, a disorder of bone strength. In December of 2011, Chan visited our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC). There, surgeons performed a successful osteotomy procedure on the tibia of both of his legs to realign his bones. Recently, Chan returned to CSC to have the staples from his previous operation removed. They had been causing him mild pain when he walked. On December 19, the hardware was removed. After recovery, he will be able to walk comfortably. CSC is requesting $411 to fund this procedure.

"I have lived with this pain for a long time, finding support to help me get a surgery is a miracle," shares 70-year-old George. "I will go back and tell my community about the miracle that God has done for me. May God bless abundantly the people supporting the Watsi program." George is a 70-year-old hard-working farmer who lives with two out of his nine children. Both George and his wife are subsistence farmers who grow millet, beans, tea and recently planted coffee. Getting a good harvest is what brings him joy and, during his free time, he listens to the radio. He feels comfortable when he is at peace with his neighbors. On Sundays, he goes to church and is among the elders (opinion leaders) in his community. George has suffered from a hernia for three years and the pain has prevented him from working. He first used herbs, hoping that they would help him, but the hernia kept growing. He has also gone to clinics and used pain relief drugs but they have also not helped. He now cannot work on his garden and misses going to church. $208 covers the cost of George's treatment and surgery. George was able to contribute $4 to the cost of his medical care. After surgery, George is looking forward to working and supporting his wife - without doing as much heavy-lifting as before. He worries about aging due to not working, and would like to keep active.

Jose had a normal birth, but since then he has not been able to grow well. For the past two months, his mother has not been able to produce breast milk. He has been losing weight and now only weighs 7 pounds, barely more than when he was born six months ago. Jose's mother gives him sugar water to try to make his belly full enough to sleep. Unfortunately, the water has not been properly filtered, and he often gets diarrhea and fevers. Jose is the youngest of 14 children, and lives with his family in Guatemala. Jose loves to smile. His parents can't afford to buy him a toy, but he smiles and laughs when people sing to him. His family lives in a one-room house made of bamboo and tar. His father works as a day laborer and does not earn sufficient money to cover the costs of formula for Jose--one small tin of formula costs more than he makes in a typical month. With $1016, Jose can receive proper nutrient supplementation. By supplying the mother with formula and health education, Jose will receive the calories he needs to grow and thrive. One-on-one education with Jose’s mother will prepare her for when he needs to start eating solid food, as well as help her watch for further signs of malnutrition and other illness. Jose’s immune system will strengthen and he will grow up to be a healthy energetic baby. "I am trying to figure out a way to help my son," Jose's mother shared. "Unfortunately we do not have the resources we need to do it. I am worried because he is not growing well. I want to see my son grow. I want him to be a person that can go to school, have his studies, and become an accountant. I appreciate a lot that my son will receive this support from you, so that he can improve."

Mesiaki was born at home on December 28th, 2015. “He is the first born to his young parents who are still living at Mesiaki’s grandparents’ house (father’s side) while slowly trying to build their own house,” says our medical partner in Tanzania, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). Mesiaki was born with a condition called spina bifida — a protrusion on his lower back which is growing with time. Although Mesiaki is active and breastfeeding well there is a risk that the protrusion may burst leaking cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), creating bigger health problems. Mesiaki is also at risk of developing hydrocephalus if not treated. “Mesiaki’s mother is very worried about the condition of her son,” AMHF says. “She was unable to bring him to the hospital sooner because they needed a few days to gather enough cash to travel from their village to a hospital where their baby can receive proper treatment. Mesiaki’s parents are small scale farmers; they rely on selling the little that remains after taking out what they need for food.” $1,200 will cover the cost of surgery to treat Mesiaki’s condition, and prevent future complications. After treatment, “The protrusion on Mesiaki’s back will be removed, allowing him to sleep on his back, continue with normal growth, and he will also be out of the risk of developing hydrocephalus.” “God has given us this beautiful baby and we pray that He will see him through his health problem,” Mesiaki’s mother says. “We would love to see him growing up like other children and later on live an independent life.”

Meet Moises, an 18-month old baby boy from Guatemala. Moises lives with his parents and five siblings. Both of Moises’ parents are laborers at a local coffee farm. While they are away at work, Moises’ is cared for by his older siblings. Our medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq (WK) tells us, “Together, the children play with sticks of wood and climb the jocote trees – Moises just watches. He is a super relaxed child and doesn’t cry often.” Due to acute malnutrition, “Moises’ immune system is weak and he is more than three standard deviations below both the average weight for his age and height for his age,” WK states. Without enough calories and nutrients, Moises faces the risk of further health complications. WK explains, “Without intervention, Moises’ health will continue to worsen – his mental and physical growth will be stunted and he will be at risk of the long-term effects of malnutrition.” For $535, Moises will receive intensive nutritional therapy. Nutritional supplements will be added into his diet to return essential nutrients to his body. He will also receive deworming medication protect him against infection. Moises’ parents will be enrolled in a course on nutrition, teaching them how to provide a healthy diet for their children. “Intensive nutrition education will benefit not only Moises, but his other siblings, as his parents will have the educational tools necessary to prepare nutritious meals for all their children and be able to recognize the signs of malnutrition in the future,” says WK. With an improved diet, Moises will grow at a faster rate and “his immune system will strengthen and he will avoid the devastating long-term effects of malnutrition,” WK says. “We are so thankful for this program, and hope that with your help he will get better soon,” shares Moises’ mother.

Sabianca is an eight-month-old baby from Haiti, and the first born in her family. Her mother is 29 years old, and attends school with the dream of becoming a doctor. “[Sabianca's mother] lives with her family and is not working; she explains that her family is poor," says our medical partner, Project Medishare (PM). “Sabianca was normally born and healthy when after two months, her head started swelling and getting abnormally large,” PM explains. A CT scan revealed that Sabianca has hydrocephalus. Hydrocephalus is condition that affects the brain. It is produced by a blockage of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain ventricles. These enlarged ventricles cause the brain to swell and thin. $1260 will fund the treatment Sabianca needs to treat her condition. The treatment includes placing a shunt in her brain to allow the cerebrospinal fluid to drain, so that her head will return to normal size. Without this intervention, Sabianca will have difficulty reaching developmental milestones. This procedure will have a "direct positive impact on the little girl's life," PM continues. "After the treatment the baby will be healthier and live a good childhood."

This is Kokoya Leloji, an eight-year-old girl from Tanzania! Kokoya lives in a small village in Northern Tanzania. Her mother had passed away, and her father is a pastoralist who has little money to support his daughter. “Kokoya has not been able to pass stool normally since birth,” our medical partner African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF) tells us. “This means that she experiences terrible pain and bloating.” Kokoya has a condition called Hirschprung’s disease in which there are missing nerve cells in part of her colon, making it difficult for her body to pass stool. Kokoya’s condition has made her unable to start school or participate in normal activities of daily living. “Her grandfather brought her to the hospital and is trying to take care for her,” AMHF explains. “They are not able to afford the treatment required for her condition. Although she is sick now, her grandfather reports that she is normally a very happy child!” “I hope for my granddaughter to be normal with this treatment,” Kokoya’s grandfather says. “Maybe she can go to school in the future.” For only $975, we can provide Kokoya with surgery to remove the affected part of her colon, allowing her to pass stool normally and develop into a healthy child!

Bikram is an eight-years-old boy from Nepal. He lives in a family of six members and studies in the second grade. Bikram’s family primarily farms for their living but they cannot produce enough to fully support the family, so his father must travel to India to work as a wage laborer. Bikram loves Nepali language class and playing volleyball. “Bikram was watching older boys in his neighborhood play volleyball, when the ball rolled down the slope by the side of the court. He ran down the slope to get the ball, but fell down in the process. He developed a painful swelling in the elbow and left hand,” reports our medical partners, Possible. Bikram’s family is unable to afford treatment for his broken arm. His mother tells us, “It is very difficult for us right now. His father has just gone to India and we had already take a loan for his travel to India. It will be difficult for us even to find a loan for his treatment.” For just $205 we can fund treatment for Bikram’s broken arm. Let's help Bikram get back on the volleyball court!

Zin Oo is just six-years-old and has already experienced a great deal. Zin Oo is being raised by his single mother, who works as a day labor in Burma’s northeastern Shan State. In 2013 Zin Oo’s family was forced to flee from their home as a result of anti-Muslim violence in their region. They lived in an IDP camp until the situation settled. The family has since moved back to the home which Zin Oo shares with his mother, aunt, uncle, grandfather, and three cousins. When Zin Oo was two-years-old he broke his left leg. Since then, two flawed surgeries have failed to properly heal him and as a result, his left leg is shorter than the right. Due to his condition, Zin Oo cannot walk on his own, and he hasn’t started school. His mother must carry Zin Oo everywhere she goes, including to work, making normal life very difficult for both of them. His mother cannot afford another corrective surgery. Zin Oo needs a comprehensive and effective surgery to once and for all properly repair the damage done to his leg. $1500 is all Zin Oo needs for this vital surgery that would enable him to walk on his own and attend school, thereby allowing his mother to continue her work and be relived of worry about Zin Oo’s health. Let’s help Zin Oo get better so he can get out and join his peers in school and in play!