Lizi is a 23-year-old woman who, along with her husband, works as a farmer growing groundnuts and cassava. They work hard to support their elderly parents, but it is hard and sometimes they don’t have enough for medical fees. Lizi enjoys being a farmer and is very happy when her crops do well and she has a good harvest. Lizi is in her third pregnancy, but has no living child. She has passed her delivery date and will need a C-section to help ensure a safe delivery. Lizi is hopeful that this time she will have a safe birth and a live, healthy baby. $258 will cover the costs of the C-section and care Lizi needs to safely deliver her baby. Lizi says, "I want to thank everyone who is supporting my care. It is a great blessing our savings are meager."

Chab is a 68-year-old man, married with eight children and nine grandchildren. He lives in Cambodia and enjoys watching TV news and visiting the pagoda to join in ceremonies. Chab traveled 2 hours to reach Watsi's medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC). Chab developed a pterygium, or a growth on the clear tissue of the eye, in each eye eight years ago. This causes him blurred vision, irritation, burning, and he is unhappy about his appearance. Eye surgeons at CSC will treat the pterygium on each eye by removing abnormal tissue from the sclera and cornea. Chab will be able to see clearly and be relieved of pain and tearing.

The second born of three children, six-year-old Francis was diagnosed with hypospadias at birth: a condition where the urethral opening is abnormally placed. He has lived with the condition, along with the pain and social stigma that it can bring. His parents work hard to provide for Francis and his two siblings. However, finances have always restricted Francis’ parents from funding the medical care he needs. Francis’ father's small income as a school cook, along with his wife’s income from the posho mill she operates, cannot pay the $700 for the surgery Francis requires. The family lives in a single-rental house in Eastern Kenya. Francis is in preschool, but he tends to be shy and keep to himself. His father hopes that after surgery, he may become more outgoing. “I hope Francis gets treated and grows up to have a bright future and be lively like other children. It hurts me to see him isolate himself. I will appreciate if anyone can help fund towards his surgery,” says Francis’ father.

Mark Daniel is a three-year-old boy from the Philippines who currently lives with acute malnutrition. "Mark and his parents live in a small house made of bamboo and GI Sheets with no access to water or electricity," explains our medical partner, International Care Ministries (ICM). "Mark's father Joerey is a furniture maker assistant. Mark loves to interact with other people despite his condition." About 20 percent of children in communities served by ICM are acutely malnourished. Malnutrition leads to delayed brain development and depresses the immune system, making it far easier for children to contract serious diseases. This risk increases in remote communities and urban slums, where children often don't have access to clean drinking water. For $268, ICM will enroll Mark in a home-based feeding program, where he'll receive nutrient-enriched food packs to help him resume normal development. Staff and community volunteers will make weekly visits to his home to monitor progress, and ICM staff will help educate his parents about nutrition, sanitation and vegetable gardening. "I hope Mark will recover from malnutrition," his father says.

Shalom is a nine-year-old girl who lives with her family in a single rental house in Nairobi, Kenya suburbs. Shalom’s mother sells meals in construction sites to sustain her two children, since their father left them seven years ago due to the rising demands of taking care of a sick child. Her income barely sustains her family's basic needs. Shalom was born healthy but three days on, her mother noted a nearly invisible lump along her lower spinal back. She sought treatment at the pediatric clinic. Since the lump was tiny, a scan was recommended and later revealed that Shalom had an open defect of the spine called spina bifida. At about one-year-old, Shalom had a surgery to correct the defect on her back. A year later, Shalom could take a few steps but something was not right with her back, it was curved. Shalom has tethered cord syndrome, a neurological disorder caused by tissue attachments that limit the movement of the spinal cord within the spinal column. Shalom is now back in the hospital with progressive scoliosis, loss of bladder and bowel control, and paralysis on her right leg. The symptoms have increased in the last two years, forcing Shalom to leave school. Shalom cannot interact with peers as she is afraid that if they touch her back, it will hurt. $1,165 will cover the costs of the tethered cord release surgery and care Shalom needs. This will greatly improve Shalom's daily life, allowing her to return to school.

Bunguzu is a 76-year-old farmer from a village in Malawi. He farms various crops, and weaves baskets to sell for additional income. Bunguzu enjoys working on the garden at his house and spending time with his nephew, who accompanied him to the hospital. For the past year, Bunguzu has had symptoms of an enlarged prostate. His condition is benign and easily treated surgically, but he has been unable to access treatment until now. Due to his symptoms he has had difficulty working as much as he would like, causing financial hardship. $726 will cover the costs of the surgery and care Bunguzu needs. The surgery will remove part of his enlarged prostate, easing his symptoms. Bunguzu is looking forward to having the operation so he can be free from pain. Bunguzu says, "My problem [in accessing treatment] was about money. Thank you for paying for the operation. I could not have come before."