Akai is a four-year-old girl from Kenya. She is the third-born in a family of four children. Akai experiences misalignment of her legs, and due to financial challenges, she has not been able to receive treatment for her condition before. Akai's condition was not noticeable until she began walking. Her mother noticed her legs were bowed, which made it difficult for her to run and play comfortably, and has led to isolation from her peers. Her guardian shared that Akai is supposed to start school soon, but due to the stigmatization she has been facing, it might be difficult for her to do so until she receives treatment. Fortunately, Akai was able to connect with our medical partner's hospital for review and treatment. On May 21st, she will undergo surgery to correct her condition and improve her quality of life. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,224 to cover the cost of Akai's procedure and care. Akai's guardian said, "We will be grateful to see her walking like other children."

Htee is a 10-year-old girl from Burma. She lives with her family in a refugee camp in Mae Hong Son province, Thailand. Htee and her two siblings were born and raised in the camp. Her parents met and married there after relocating in 2006 due to conflicts between armed groups in their village. Htee’s mother is a homemaker, while her father works as a day laborer. She is currently enrolled in the camp school and is in Grade 5. Additionally, Htee's four cousins live with the family and also attend school. In her free time, Htee enjoys playing with her brother and friends. For two days, Htee has been experiencing troubling symptoms, including severe pain at right lower part of abdominal, high fever, vomiting and lethargy. She is currently admitted at Mae Sariang Hospital, where she was diagnosed with appendicitis. She needs urgent surgery to prevent her condition from getting worse. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is helping Htee receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo an appendectomy, a surgery to remove the appendix when it becomes infected, on April 20th, at Mae Sariang Hospital. This procedure will cost $1500, and Htee and her family need your support. Htee’s father said, “My daughter is an active child. She loves to go to school and never missed attendance. Now she is in severe pain, and I hope that she gets better after treatment.”

Zilpah is a mother to six children and lives in the Philippines. Zilpah creates handmade accessories and sells rosary bracelets, and her husband is a caretaker. Together, they provide for the family's daily needs and their children's school expenses. They have lived for about ten years in housing provided by her husband’s employer. She maintains an active and healthy lifestyle, walking two kilometers every day to take her children to school and back. Three months ago, Zilpah began to experience troubling symptoms, including loss of voice, persistent coughing, and throat pain. She was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. She needs surgery to remove the cancer and to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Fortunately, our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP), is helping Zilpah receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy (removal of part or all of the thyroid gland) on March 20th at Our Lady of Peace Hospital. A portion of the cost of her treatment is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and WSFP is raising the remaining $935 to cover the cost of Zilpah's procedure and care. Zilpah says "I look forward to regaining my strength so I can continue caring for my children and supporting my family. Being healthy again will allow me to keep working and sharing life with them."

Gevan is a one-year-old boy from Tanzania. He lives with both parents and his sibling. His parents depend on hourly wages working at a factory. Gevan was brought to our medical partner's care center, Kafika House, by his parents. He had burn scar contractures affecting the left hand, specifically the index and middle fingers. The injury has reduced the range of motion in his fingers, making it difficult for him to grip toys and use his hand normally during play and feeding. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Gevan receive treatment. On February 17th, surgeons will perform contracture release surgery and a skin graft to improve mobility. He is a cheerful and cooperative child, and his parents are hopeful that with timely treatment, he will grow up with full use of his hand and independence in daily activities. Now, he needs help to fund this $832 procedure. Gevan's mother says, “His fingers cannot bend properly, so he struggles to pick up and hold small objects.”

Loudmia is a preschooler from Haiti. She lives in a small coastal village in northwest Haiti with her four siblings and her parents, who both fish and farm. She enjoys going to preschool and playing with the children in her neighborhood. Loudmia has a cardiac condition called a ventricular septal defect. A hole exists between the two lower chambers of her heart; blood leaks through this hole without passing through her lungs to obtain oxygen, leaving her weak and short of breath. Loudmia will fly to the Dominican Republic to receive treatment. On January 21st, she will undergo cardiac surgery, during which surgeons will sew a patch over the hole so that blood no longer leaks through it. Our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, is contributing to pay for surgery. However, Loudmia's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep. They need help raising $1,500 to cover labs, medicines, and check-up and follow-up appointments. This also supports securing travel documents for the family and travel costs for the social workers from our medical partner, who will accompany Loudmia's family overseas. Loudmia's mother shared, "I am hopeful that after this surgery we can stop worrying about our daughter's health so much!"

Fatuma is a cheerful 17-year-old girl from Migori in Kenya. She is a Grade 7 pupil who enjoys learning, making new friends, and dreams of becoming an orthopedic doctor one day. The 12th born in her family, Fatuma lives with her widowed mother, who works as a fish vendor. Fatuma was born with bilateral club foot, a condition in which the feet are twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Some time ago, Fatuma's brother, Joseph, came across a post on Facebook, about a mobile clinic by our medical partner's care center, AIC CURE Hospital. He told Fatuma and their mother, encouraging them to attend. Fatuma was reviewed and underwent serial casting and reconstruction of her right foot through support from Watsi, which has healed well. She is now in hospital undergoing serial casting in preparation for her left foot surgical repair. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Fatuma receive treatment. On December 9th, she will undergo clubfoot repair surgery, allowing her to walk confidently, wear shoes, boost her self-esteem, and continue with her education without any limitations from the condition. Now, Fatuma's family needs help to fund this $1,286 procedure. Shyly, Fatuma said: “I am so happy that my treatment has started. I look forward to the day I will walk well, wear my shoes, and feel confident like other girls."

Win is a 48-year-old man from Burma. He lives with his wife in a refugee Camp in Phop Phra District, Tak Province, Thailand. They have lived in the refugee camp since 2011. Win is a homemaker, as he is unable to work due to a leg injury he sustained in 1997 when he was arrested by the Burmese Army and forced to be a porter and laborer for them. While cleaning outside the camp one day, he hit a mine, which injured his leg. Win's wife is a day laborer, but her work is inconsistent, as she only works when employers come to the camp and announce that they need help. Since 2019, Win has had a right inguinal hernia. Currently, he continues to experience pain in his lower abdomen. The pain is worse when he sits up, so he must stay in a supine position. Fortunately, on November 5th, he will undergo hernia repair surgery at Mae Sot General Hospital, our medical partner's care center. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund Win's hernia repair surgery. Aside from the physical symptoms, Win says, “I feel useless. Even if I couldn’t work before I was admitted to the hospital, I could cook and clean and take care of the house. Now I can’t even do that.”