“I can’t wait to get back to school,” Koluman says. “I will study very hard so I can someday go to university.” This ambitious 14-year-old boy was born with genu valgus, a condition where the knees develop at a sharp inwards angle. There is a high occurrence of this disorder in Tanzania, Koluman’s home country, due to high fluoride levels in the water. Koluman experiences pain and fatigue when playing or when walking long distances. His genu valgus also prevents him from helping his family of six around the house. This is especially sad for Koluman because his father died a few years ago, making it challenging for his mother to both keep the household in order and earn enough money to support her five children. Koluman’s mother initially took him to another hospital for help, and he was treated. However, he did not receive proper follow-up, and his condition regressed again. The family was then advised to come to Plaster House, our medical partner's care center, for surgery and appropriate aftercare. For $838, we can sponsor Koluman’s corrective operation on April 11, as well as his subsequent cast removal and a three-month stay at Plaster House to ensure that he recuperates safely this time. Koluman’s doctors expect that after proper treatment and full recovery, Koluman’s legs will straighten, allowing him easy and pain-free mobility. He will then be able to walk, help his mother around the house, and pursue his dreams of attending university.

Sareth is a ten-year-old boy from Cambodia. He has two brothers and two sisters. In his free time, he likes to read books and watch cartoons. Sareth was born with a right clubfoot. This makes it difficult for him to walk and go to school. Sareth traveled six hours with his father to visit our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC). Surgeons at CSC will perform a clubfoot repair procedure on February 22 to allow Sareth to walk easily again. They are requesting $304 to fund this surgery.

Bethany is a two-year-old girl from the Philippines. She loves to play, dance, and sing. Her family lives in a bamboo house and obtains water from the spring. They don't have access to electricity and use a kerosene lamp instead. Bethany has been diagnosed with moderately acute malnutrition. Malnutrition threatens Bethany's growth and development and could even be fatal if not addressed. Fortunately, she will begin $184 malnutrition treatment on February 21. Bethany 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. Bethany's mother hopes that she becomes healthy enough to go to school.

Ceasar is a wife and mother of two children. Her husband works as a driver. Her family lives in a house owned by their church minister. For five years, Ceasar has been experiencing irregular menstruation, headaches, body weakness, and leg cramps. These symptoms prevent her from working. She never sought treatment because she could not afford it. Fortunately, Ceasar is a member of one of our medical partner's sponsored communities. She underwent an ultrasound and was diagnosed with adenomyosis, an overgrowth of endometrial tissue in the uterus. On February 20, Ceasar will undergo a hysterectomy to remove her uterus. Our medical partner is requesting $187 to fund her treatment. The surgery will alleviate her symptoms and improve her quality of life. "I am overjoyed for the help you have extended on my condition. I am looking forward to the day after the treatment that I will no longer experience heavy bleeding, and I will be healed. I am excited to be fully recovered and help my husband in sustaining the needs of our children and for their brighter future," she says.

Jose is a one-year-old baby who loves to play and babble with others. His mother passed away from tuberculosis, so he lives with his aunts. Jose is experiencing symptoms of malnutrition. He has little energy, and he gets sick more often than other children. He is at an increased risk for stunted growth, low IQ, and chronic disease. While malnutrition can have devastating effects, it is also highly treatable. On January 12, Jose will begin treatment for his condition. He will undergo growth monitoring and nutrient supplementation. Our medical partner, Wuqu' Kawoq, is asking for $437 to fund this treatment. "We want to thank you for the support for my nephew to grow well," says Jose's aunt. "We want to see him grow healthy and, when he is big, be a person who studies and overcomes obstacles in life."

Kareem Abdul is a four-month-old boy from Tanzania. He was born with a small swelling on head. As Kareem grew, the swelling increased in size and became painful. Kareem has been diagnosed with occipital encephalocele, a rare birth defect in which part of the brain is exposed at the back of the skull. His family visited a hospital in Tanzania, but the facility lacked a neurosurgeon to perform a repair procedure. Without treatment, Kareem risked mental and growth retardation. The family decided to visit our medical partner's hospital in Kenya, BethanyKids Kijabe Hospital. On December 12, surgeons performed an encephalocoele repair. Kareem is the only child to his young parents, who are subsistence farmers. The family lives in a one-room house. They cannot afford this surgery, so our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $929 in funding. “I will really be happy once my child gets treatment because we have suffered a lot," says Kareem's mother. "We have been to several hospitals with no help because of lack of funds. I really appreciate the well-wisher who offered to help us get here. The reception has been great and I look forward to getting home with my son better."

Lance is a one-year-old boy from the Philippines who loves to play with toy cars and balls. He lives with his parents, two siblings, and grandmother. Their only source of water is a pump. Lance's father, Alven, is a laborer, and he cannot afford to support his children. Consequently, Lance has a bloated stomach––an indication of kwashiorkor, a serious disease caused by a lack of protein. Lance began $184 malnutrition treatment on October 18, 2016. Lance is being treated by International Care Ministries (ICM), a Watsi medical partner. One out of five children under 5 in ICM communities is either severely or moderately acutely 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. Lance's aunt hopes that "someday Lance will finish his studies and will grow up healthy."

Zenasi is a farmer from a village in Malawi's Central Region. He lives with his wife, near their seven children and 15 grandchildren. To support his family, Zenasi works as a farmer and does various household tasks. For the past three years, Zenasi has been experiencing symptoms from an enlarged prostate, which has made it difficult for him to work and participate in daily activities. Zenasi's condition is benign and easily treated surgically. For $726, Zenasi will receive the surgery and care he needs. Zenasi is excited for the surgery and looking forward to returning home. He says, "I am ready and want to give thanks."

Mayunga, born on July 8th, 2007, is the sixth child in a family of eight children in Tanzania. Mayunga is the only child with clubfeet in their family. Because of the condition of his feet, Mayunga was not allowed to walk and if he wanted to go anywhere, he would pull himself while seated. Due to the condition of his feet, Mayunga was not taken to school, causing him to seldom interact with other children. At the Plaster House, a rehabilitation center for children in Tanzania, Mayunga is able to walk with support, using the lateral aspect of his feet. He needs correction of the clubfeet so that he can walk properly, without additional support, and start to interact with other children. Mayunga’s parents are small scale farmers, earning enough to cover their basic needs. Mayunga's father wishes to one day see his son standing up, but currently the family does not have the money to cover the cost of their son's treatment. For $1,160, Mayunga will undergo corrective surgery which will allow him to eventually walk properly.

This is Ngae, a 58-year-old widow from Burma who has three daughters and two sons. Ngae sells a variety of vegetables to support her family, making about $2-4 a day. With a daughter married and living in Bangkok, Ngae works hard to put her young son through school and manage the rest of the family as well. Starting in November of 2015, Ngae’s health began to limit her ability to carry vegetables in a basket and sell her goods by the roadside. Our medical partner, Burma Border Projects (BBP) shares that at one point while selling corn, she suffered an unexpected uterine prolapse. For quite some time, Ngae has been ignoring her prolapsed uterus due to an inability to pay for, or access, treatment. But now, she is experiencing back pain, lower abdominal pain, and frequent urination. With $1,500, Ngae will receive the surgical treatment she requires, which may include a hysterectomy (removal of the uterus) or repairs to prevent her uterus from falling out. Surgery will better illuminate a solution to her health condition through examination of the pelvic or apical reattachment ligament points. Pelvic examinations, blood work, and post-surgery respite are all included. BBP expects that Ngae will be able to return to her normal routine. Ngae says, “I want to have the surgery as soon as possible and I hope that my surgery will be successful. I want to return to selling vegetables on the roadside.”