Purity is a newborn baby from Kenya. When she was born, she was diagnosed with spina bifida, a condition in which the spine develops improperly and is exposed. Purity was referred to our medical partner's care center, Bethany Kids Kijabe Hospital. Without treatment, she risked infection, spinal deformities, and paralysis of her lower limbs. Fortunately, on December 14, she underwent a spina bifida closure procedure. Purity is the youngest in a family of three children. Her family lives in a two-room house in central Kenya. Her parents are subsistence farmers. They cannot afford this treatment, so our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,097 in funding. "We are hoping to get help towards Purity’s surgical care," says her mother.

Sroy is a 67-year-old woman married with three sons, six daughters, and ten grandchildren. She enjoys visiting the pagoda to listen to the monks pray and joining in ceremonies. Sroy developed cataracts in each eye five years ago. Ever since, she has had blurred vision, irritation, itching, and photophobia. As a result, Sroy can't get around easily or do work well. Sroy traveled three hours with her daughter to reach Children's Surgical Centre for treatment. She is unable to afford the surgery she needs on her own, but with $225 she will have her clouded lenses removed and clear, artificial lenses implanted. With this operation, Sroy will be able to see clearly once again and regain her independence. She'll be able to see her loved ones' faces again.

Vannak is a 43-year-old woman from Cambodia. She is married with two daughters and enjoys cooking food and cleaning her home. Vannak traveled one hour with her brother to reach Watsi's medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), for treatment. When she was seven years old, Vannak developed an ear infection that caused her left tympanic membrane (eardrum) to perforate. As a result, she experiences ear pain, discharge, and hearing loss. Vannak is unhappy that she has ear pain, and her poor hearing makes it difficult to communicate with other people at work. Surgeons at CSC will perform a $399 myringoplasty procedure-- an operation to close the perforated membrane-- on Vannak's left ear. This surgery will treat the infection and put an end to her ear pain and discharge. Over time, Vannak's hearing will improve and allow her to resume effective communication and work.

Kasaija is 32-years-old, married, and a father of a six-month-old baby boy. He is a farmer, but since July 2015, he has not been able to do much because of a hernia. To supplement his income, Kasaija gets a little money from serving builders as a porter or from painting houses. He developed a small swelling on his left scrotal three years ago, in the exact place where he had had a previous hernia. The swelling keeps increasing in size, and it disappears when he presses it. Kasaija feels numbness in the left leg and sometimes he feels stomach pains. In July 2015, he visited a hospital where he was diagnosed with hernia and was advised to have surgery but he couldn’t afford to pay for it. Due to pain, Kasaija is unable to do any straining. At the hospital, he was also advised not to do hard work such as lifting heavy items, digging, and playing soccer – the game he likes a lot. If not treated, Kasaija may develop intestinal obstruction, incarceration and strangulation. For $220, we can provide Kasaija with hernia repair surgery to reinforce the weakened muscle in his scrotal and reduce the pain and swelling. After surgery, he plans to work hard to get capital to start a piggery project and to rear some goats so that he can be able to support himself and his family.