Talemwa is a five-year-old boy from Uganda, the youngest of two siblings. He attends nursery school, where he enjoys drawing pictures and learning to count in English. Talemwa and his sibling are cared for by their mother, a single parent and farmer. In August of 2016, Talemwa began to experience pain in his lower abdomen. Talemwa's mother noticed swelling in his groin as well. “My son keeps telling me he has pain," his mother says. Talemwa was taken to a clinic, where he was diagnosed with a sliding inguinal hernia, a condition in which an organ protrudes through weakened muscle. If left untreated, a hernia can result in tissue damage. The clinic advised his mother to bring Talemwa to a hospital for further evaluation and treatment, but she could not afford to pay for the procedures. She was then referred to our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), and connected with Watsi. Talemwa will be receiving surgery on December 14 at our medical partner's care center, Holy Family Virika Hospital. The surgery will repair the hernia and prevent further complications. To fund the procedure, AMHF is requesting $249 to cover his hospital stay, surgical materials, and medications. Following his surgery, Talemwa's mother is hopeful that her son will be well and continue to grow up healthy.

Touch is a 33-year-old electrician who is married with three sons. He likes to read magazines, watch TV, and listen to the radio. In 2012, Touch began to experience pain in his right hip. By July 2016, the pain had spread to his left hip. Now, he cannot walk without support. When Touch learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), he traveled for five hours to seek treatment. On November 28, surgeons at CSC performed a total hip replacement on Touch's right hip. This procedure should relieve him of his pain and allow him to walk easily again. He needs help to pay his $781 medical bill. Touch shares, "I hope that I can walk normally again and no longer have pain."

Esther is an adorable 13-month-old girl with spina bifida, a swelling on her lower back. After Esther was born, a scan revealed that her brain contained excess fluid. One week later, doctors performed surgery to drain the fluid, but they did not treat her lower back. Having used her savings to fund the first operation, Esther's mother could not afford a spina bifida repair. However, without treatment, Esther risked further complications and infection. Fortunately, on November 4, 2016, Esther received a spina bifida closure surgery. Esther lives with her mother and grandmother in a three-room house in the eastern region of Kenya. Her mother, a single mother, earns her living doing laundry. She cannot afford this $1,097 procedure. “This is an answered prayer," says Esther's mother. "I am touched by the love and kindness I have had from every person I meet. I will appreciate your help as we focus on Esther’s surgical care."

Zakeyu is a 74-year-old farmer from a village in Malawi's Central Region. He has six children and nine grandchildren, and supports his family through farming and various household tasks. In his free time, Zakeyu enjoys chatting with his wife. Three months ago, Zakeyu started experiencing pain as a result of an enlarged prostate. Since he began experiencing symptoms, Zakeyu has been unable to work. This condition is benign and easily treated through surgery, and luckily he is now able to access such treatment. $726 will fund the prostate resection surgery Zakeyu needs to get healthy. After his operation, Zakeyu is looking forward to returning home to his farm and family.

Meet Tomas, the youngest of five children from Guatemala. He lives with his siblings and parents in a one-room cinderblock house. Tomas loves to play with his toy car that he shares with his older siblings. His mother works at home: cooking, cleaning, and taking care of Tomas and his siblings. His father spends long hours away from their village working as a day laborer on a farm. Although Tomas’ parents want the best for their son, they do not have the resources to feed him even one vegetable, piece of fruit, or egg—the minimum that he needs to be able to overcome malnutrition. Tomas's mother has been worried since she has noticed that her son does not want to eat. She did not realize that her son was underweight and malnourished and did not understand what consequences the condition carries. Tomas is malnourished because the diet his parents can afford for him lacks protein, calories, and nutrients. His immune system doesn’t have the fuel it needs to fight off common sicknesses like coughs, colds, and diarrhea—in the past two weeks alone, Tomas has gotten sick with a cough and fever. If he does not receive treatment, malnutrition could cause permanent consequences such as a low IQ, trouble focusing in school, and a greater risk of developing chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension as an adult. All these factors make it less likely he will have a well-paying job as an adult, meaning the cycle of poverty and malnutrition would continue if he decides to have kids. Watsi's medical partner, Wuqu' Kawoq, can provide Tomas with growth monitoring, micronutrient and food supplementation, and deworming medication for recovery. With $512 in funding, Tomas will gain weight and grow taller to catch up with other children his age. His immune system will strengthen with increased caloric intake. This will further increase his appetite and help him to gain motor skills and learn new words instead of fighting frequent illnesses. His mother will receive the support she need to feel empowered to give Tomas the diet he needs to grow and develop healthily, even with limited resources. His mother shares with us, "We hope that our son can study become a teacher in the community." Intervention now will give Tomas the chance to live a healthy and productive life and escape the cycle of malnutrition and poverty.