Jackson is a fifteen-year-old student and the last-born child to his mother. He has a large family, as is common in the Maasai community where he lives. Jackson is a very hard-working boy both at home and at school. He is social and self-driven. He shared that most boys his age don’t like school or don’t get the chance to attend school, but not Jackson! His favorite subjects are Physics, Swahili, and History. He wishes to be a teacher in the future to help educate his community. Jackson is a big football fan, but he had to stop playing because his legs started hurting and it has gotten difficult for him to walk. Jackson was diagnosed with Bilateral Genu Varus, where both of his legs are curving outwards. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, which often stems from contaminated drinking water. As a result, he experiences pain and difficulty walking. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $880 to fund corrective surgery for Jackson. The procedure is scheduled to take place on March 22nd. Treatment will hopefully restore Jackson's mobility, allow him to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease his risk of future complications. Jackson says, "My legs have made walking very difficult due to the pain. I would like to walk to school without difficulty and enjoy playing sports and helping my parents."

Channarith is a 19-year-old student and security guard. He's the eldest of three in his family and his father is a construction worker. When not working or studying, he likes to play football, watch TV, listen to music, and help his mother with housework. Last November, Channarith was involved in a motorbike accident. He lost consciousness and severely injured his left arm. His parents took him to a clinic in their province, where doctors suggested they take him to our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre. He has been diagnosed with a brachial plexus injury on his left side. The brachial plexus is a nerve network that transmits signals from the spine to the shoulder, arm, and hand. Injuries to this nerve network can result in loss of function and sensation. Channarith cannot move his left shoulder and he has no elbow mobility nor finger movement. His muscles have atrophied and he has no feeling in his left arm. Doctors anticipate that a nerve transfer will help to restore movement to the associated muscle. Channarith traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment, which is the only center in the whole country where this treatment is available. On March 3rd, he will undergo a brachial plexus repair surgery. After recovery, he hopes to use his arm again. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $696 to fund this procedure. Channarith says "I hope that I can use my arm and return to work as soon as possible."

Ko Myo lives with his mother in a village in Burma. He used to be a motorcycle taxi driver but stopped working two months ago when his health deteriorated. His mother and wife currently care for him, washing clothes and working in a clothing factory in Yangon, earning income to support their family. With the help of Watsi donors, Ko Myo underwent his second round of laser treatment in January 2020, at Mae Sot Hospital in Thailand, to breakup stones in his left kidney. He was scheduled to undergo a third round of laser treatment however, when the Thai-Burma border closed in March 2020 due to increasing COVID-19 cases, Ko Myo was not able to go back to the hospital. He felt better until the first week of December 2021 when he started experiencing a lot of pain in his waist when he sat for a long time. With the border still closed and without enough money to go to a hospital, Ko Myo sought advice. He then went with our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, in Yangon to a clinic in January 2022 and was able to visit our partner's care center, Shin Par Ku Hospital. The doctor has told him he will need surgery on his left kidney to remove the stone and has scheduled him to have the procedure on February 6th. Currently, Ko Myo has little appetite and experiences pain in the left side of his back. He is eagerly awaiting surgery. He shared, "I pity my wife because she has to work hard and support me. Now, I am so happy that I will receive surgery soon," he said. "One day I want to open my own shop in the market and sew children's clothing."

Clement is a small-scale farmer from Kenya. He was born and raised in a small village called Bugar where most of the people living in the area are farmers or find other casual jobs. He is married and has six children: two girls, and four boys. He did not attend school and communicates only in his mother tongue, called Keiyo. His family lives in a small mud house with a thatched roof and grows their food from their small farm, which mostly consists of maize and beans. Last week, Clement sustained a severe injury on his right leg after he was involved in a road traffic accident while going to the market. He was a passenger on a motorcycle that lost control and fell into a ditch leaving him and the rider with severe injuries. They were rushed to a nearby hospital where they received first aid and were later referred to our medical partner's care center for treatment. An X-ray revealed an open right tibia fibula fracture. Quickly Clement was rushed to the operating theatre for surgical debridement of wounds and casting. He was admitted to the hospital and is awaiting fracture surgery. He is unable to walk and is in great pain. Clement likes spending his days on his farm and as the breadwinner of the family, he's now feeling distressed because he can’t provide for them due to his condition. He is worried about the obstacles his family would face if his leg is not treated, having also been diagnosed with arthritis. The family doesn’t have funds to pay for his surgery and he's appealing for support. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On January 6th, Clement will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. This procedure will reduce his pain and help him walk easily again. After complete recovery, he will be able to resume his work and support his family. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,145 to fund his treatment to help him heal. Clement says, “I want to be pain-free and healthy. I hope to be happy again and have a good life. My family needs me the most.”

Movin is a 14-year-old social and jovial boy. Movin likes playing football with his friends. His favorite subject in school is English; he aspires to be a doctor in the future to help those who need surgical care, mostly those with physical conditions. Movin is the 5th born in a family of seven children. His mother is a housewife while his father is a farmer. Their family lives in a two-roomed grass-thatched and mud traditional house in a village in Kenya. Movin was born with bilateral clubfoot deformity. This condition has affected his mobility, he gets tired easily, feels pain out of straining, falls whenever he plays football, and cannot put on shoes well. Movin needs surgery, however, his family is not in a financial position to finance the surgery and they are appealing for financial assistance. Fortunately, Movin traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, AIC Cure International Hospital. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on December 6th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,286 to fund Movin's clubfoot repair. After treatment, he will continue with his education uninterrupted in pursuit of his dream of being a doctor. Movin says, “I would like my foot to be treated so that I can walk like my friends and continue with my education.”

Jhonatan Mercado is a creative four-year-old from Venezuela. A year ago his family moved to Medellin in Colombia seeking for a better future for their kids. Jhonatan is an older brother in a family of two children, his little brother is one year old. Jhonatan he loves to play with his mom with Legos. He already loves soccer too. Jhonatan Mercado has clubfoot of both feet. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, Jhonatan Mercado's family traveled to visit our Medical Partner Clínica Noel. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on December 20th. Our medical partner, Clínica Noel, is requesting $1500 to fund Jhonatan Mercado's bilateral clubfoot repair. After treatment, he will be able to walk without pain or further complications. His mother said "We are really glad that finally we found help, we have been in different treatments since he was 6 months old but now we have a lot of faith in this procedure and in Doctor Miguel."

Mercy is a 28-year-old subsistence farmer from Malawi. She lives in a grass-thatched house with her husband and their three children. Her oldest child is nine years old and attends school, while her youngest is five years old. She and her husband also take care of her 93-year-old grandmother who depends on them. Mercy and her husband farm together and their farm produces enough food to feed the family, but not enough to sell a surplus. To supplement their income, she and her husband also work on other people's farms. In 2018, Mercy noticed a small lump on the left side of her neck. Over the years, the lump has grown and is hard and painful. After having several appointments rescheduled, Mercy finally got a scan and was referred to a lab for thyroid tests and to a surgeon. The lab tests and transportation costs have greatly impacted her family’s income, and it has taken her three years to have all of the required testing. She was finally diagnosed with an enlarged thyroid and surgery was recommended to heal her condition. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH) is helping Mercy to receive treatment. On September 2nd, she will undergo a thyroidectomy at AMH's care center. Now, she needs help raising $1,015 to fund her procedure and care. Mercy shared, "this condition is not only affecting me, but mainly my helpless 93 years old grandmother and also my family. I can no longer draw water for my grandmother and my children are too young to help. My husband is now getting exhausted combining farm work and household chores. Please assist me with this surgery so I can start helping my family again."

Duncan is a 28 year old man who is currently single and unable to work due to his condition. Duncan experienced trauma in early 2010 after a road traffic accident that caused spine injury and hearing loss. At the time of the accident, Duncan had a loss of consciousness, memory loss, and was even paraplegic at one point. He also had tinnitus in his right ear but with earlier support from Watsi donors, he got a hearing aid fitted and can now communicate well. Duncan now walks on a crutch, however, his pain worsens with movement, and radiates to his lower limbs. Because of his condition, Duncan has been in and out of hospitals. He is supposed to visit the hospital regularly. For convenience, he currently lives with his relatives nearby in Nairobi. His parents are elderly farmers in his ancestral home in Kisii in rural Kenya. Duncan is currently struggling to walk. An MRI exam identified canal stenosis and bone degeneration, so doctors have recommended surgery. He is scheduled for L4/5, L5/S1 Decompression, and Spine Fusion to avert chances of being immobile for the rest of his life. The hospital is requesting $1,500 to perform his surgery and his health insurance coverage will not cover this care. He currently relies on well-wishers to pay for his medical bills. Duncan told us, “I cannot walk well without support. I am also in pain and very uncomfortable. I hope to get better soon.”

Ankunda is a 30-year-old mother of three. After completing high school, she was unable to raise funds for college and thus had to stop with school. She got married to her first husband, but lost him to a road accident. She has later remarried and currently bakes at home to earn a living. Her husband is a photographer but does not have much business at the moment. Their family lives in a rental house. Ankunda was reviewed at our medical partner's care center, Nyakibale Hospital, during her antenatal visits. Having had three previous scars and a prior miscarriage, an elective caesarean section surgery was recommended to ensure safe delivery. Attempts to deliver normally might result in a uterine rupture, risk of postpartum haemorrhage, or fetal and maternal death. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is requesting $252 to fund Ankunda's C-Section procedure. Ankunda shared her plans after delivery, “I hope that when my operation comes out successfully with a live baby and in good health, I will be able to resume with my baking business to continue sustaining my family.”

Nuriya is 2-year-old toddler from Ethiopia who loves his mom and dad very much and always wants to be with them. Nuriya enjoys chatting and playing with his parents. Now he also has a three-month-old baby sister. His parents are working hard to raise them both. They shared that they went through a lot as a previous immigrant in Saudi Arabia and their family now decided to stay in their home country to raise a family and support it from their homeland. Nuriya's grandparents gave his parents a small piece of land that they are now farming. However, the fruit that they farm is only enough to maintain the daily needs of the family. Nuriya was born with hypospadias, a congenital abnormality that causes urinary dysfunction. Without treatment, he will continue to experience uncomfortable symptoms and will be at risk of infertility. Fortunately, Nuriya is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on July 6th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,293 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. Nuriya was also born with another birth condition that Watsi donors supported for treatment and his family is tremendously grateful for support. Nuriya's mother is inspired by the care he is receiving, “I hope he will be a doctor in the future. Just as the doctor who treated him and changed his health in the past, I want him to grow and treat so many kids with sickness and disability.”

Glory is a charming four-year-old girl and the firstborn child in a family of two children. Glory’s mother is house mother, while her father provides for the family through his work at construction sites. Glory was diagnosed with bilateral genu valgus, which means that her legs bow inwards and her knees touch. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, which often comes from contaminated drinking water. As a result, Glory has difficulty walking and experiences pain after playing all day. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is requesting $880 to fund corrective surgery for Glory. The procedure is scheduled to take place on June 4th and treatment will hopefully restore Glory's mobility, allowing her to participate in a variety of activities and greatly decreasing her risk of future complications. Glory’s mother shared, "we have tried medication, but it has not helped. Our daughter now needs surgery but the cost of treatment is too high for us to afford. Please help."

Francis is a nine-year-old boy and the youngest of four children in his family. Francis is developmentally delayed, and his mother shared that at he has not yet developed speech and recently learned how to walk. Francis' father is intellectually disabled and does not work. Francis' mother does a variety of jobs, including feeding neighbors' cattle to provide for their family. Francis was diagnosed with cryptorchidism, a condition in which one or both of the testicles remains undescended. If left untreated, Francis has an increased risk of developing hernias, testicular cancer, and fertility problems in the future. Fortunately, Francis will be receiving assistance from our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH). He is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on May 8th. Now, AMH is requesting $569 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. Francis’ mother shared, “as the breadwinner in the family, I cannot raise the funds for his surgery. We are requesting financial help.”