Zin Nwe lives in Burma with her parents, her brother and sister, and her adopted 3-year-old daughter. She is 33 years old. This past February, Zin Nwe began to feel severe abdominal pain. It was so debilitating that she returned home in order to rest and took some painkillers to cope with the pain. Upon feeling slightly better, she returned to work. However, in March, she couldn’t walk and came back home once again. She was having difficulty breathing and it was painful to sleep on her stomach. She was tossing and turning all night worrying about her condition and feeling guilty about being unable to work. Treatment was never sought in Burma because of the expensive costs in which Zin Nwe could not afford to pay. One of her friends had been to Mae Tao Clinic (MTC) before and suggested that she visit. Upon arrival, Zin Nwe received an ultrasound test and a blood test. A midwife confirmed that she has a uterine myoma, a noncancerous growth in the uterus, and would require surgery. As she does not have money for the surgery, Zin Nwe was referred to Watsi's medical partner, Burma Border Projects (BBP), for assistance. Zin Nwe is a strong, hard working, and independent woman. $1,500 covers all of Zin Nwe's medical expenses, including pre-surgery visits, hospitalization, out-patient visits, and transportation to the hospital. After treatment, Zin Nwe is eager to return to work, continue to support her family, and relax by gardening and planting vegetables near her home. She wants to be able to continue to afford school fees so that her daughter can one day be a bright and educated woman.

Meet 66-year-old Mahamud, a father of eight from Kenya. “In 2008, Mahamud’s neighbors were attacked by robbers while in their home,” reports our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). “Hearing their screams, people from the neighborhood rushed to their aid. Among them was Mahamud.” “As they drove out the thieves, Mahamud sustained severe cuts and an injury to his right arm. He was rushed to a hospital, where he was informed that his right hand was in need of surgery,” continues AMHF. “Mahamud didn’t have the money required to get surgery. He has been in and out of different hospitals, one in which he was mismanaged.” Mahamud’s injuries have resulted in severe pain and an inability to use his right hand, harming Mahamud’s ability to provide for his family. “He has a camel named George that he uses to give tourists rides on the beach for a fee. Before Mahamud got hurt, he had 15 camels,” explains AMHF. “His trips to the hospital have left him with only one camel. His sons help him with business because he cannot use his hand to work.” For $1410, Mahamud will receive an open reduction and internal fixation surgery that will realign his severe fracture, and place an internal fixation device on the bone. This cost covers the procedure, hospital stay, medication, follow-up lab work, imaging, and physiotherapy. “This treatment will enable him to get back to work to support his family,” says AMHF. Mahamud hopes to return to his daily life as soon as possible. “I can work! I love my business and I love my camel George,” he tells us. “Once my hand is healed, I shall go back to being active in my business. Maybe I shall be able to get more camels.”

"I would like to see Safina’s life improve and maybe one day she can go to school," Safina’s mother shares. Meet Safina, a three-year-old-girl from Tanzania. She is the lovely, smiley and happy first-born child of her young parents. Safina has one baby brother and she is quite caring of him. Safina's parents own a small store in their village. Safina has an open myelomeningocele. This means, Safina’s backbone and spinal canal were unable to close before birth and therefore the membranes and the spinal cord have protruded. African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), our medical partner, explains, “Safina is unable to walk or to manage her bowels or bladder.” For $1,100, we can fund the surgery to close the opening in Safina’s back. AMHF expects that closing the defect in Safina's spine will prevent further disability and that she will be able to use a wheelchair to move around. Let's support her!

“Pan Thu first began showing cardiac disease symptoms when she was 3-years-old,” report our partners at Burma Border Projects. “Her mother noticed that Pan Thu became sweaty and experienced heart palpitations when she was playing. She is unable to pick up heavy objects and suffers from chest and joint pain.” Pan Thu is a gifted 15-year-old student who lives with her grandfather in Burma. Her parents divorced when she was young, and her grandfather takes care of Pan Thu while her mother travels for her work as a nurse. Her mother earns enough to pay for food and school expenses, but cannot afford surgery for Pan Thu’s heart condition. In spite of this, Pan Thu remains positive and dedicated to her studies. Doctors diagnosed Pan Thu with cardiac atrial septal defect, which means she has a hole in the wall between the upper chambers. Blood that doesn’t have enough oxygen can flow to her organs and tissues, which in turn don’t get the nutrients they need to function properly. For $1,500 we can fund complex cardiac surgery to repair the hole in Pan Thu’s heart. The Burma Border Projects team predicts that treatment will improve Pan Thu’s energy levels and that she will no longer experience heart palpitations and struggle to breathe. Pan Thu can then focus on her studies and pursue her dream of attending university to study foreign languages and eventually accomplish her dream of serving as a diplomat!

Meet Frank, a 12-year-old from Tanzania! Frank burned his fingers a while back and has developed scar contracture, an area of tightened, immobile skin, on some of them. As a result, his right hand is not fully functional. Frank is the fifth born out of seven children. He likes to play football and does well in both science and arts classes. He loves school, but because of his scars, his classmates make fun of him and this makes him uncomfortable. Frank's mother used to run a vegetable stall, but she recently gave birth to her seventh child so she is currently not earning anything. Frank's father is a taxi driver in their town. What both parents earn is not enough to cover the cost of Frank's operation. That's where we come in. For $505, Frank can receive surgery on his hand that will make it more functional and he will be more confident around people. Let's help him get that confidence!