Yar is a 18-year-old girl from Thailand. She lives with her parents, three younger sisters and three younger brothers in a refugee camp on the Thai-Burma border. Yar and her parents are all too ill to work and are homemakers, while her siblings are students. Her family relies on the monthly food allowance they receive from an organization to get by. They also grow vegetables for themselves to supplement this income. Yar completed grade nine, but felt too ill to return to school this year. In her free time, she likes to weave traditional Karen bags for her siblings and help her mother with household chores. One day in early January 2020, Yar started to experience neck pain, fevers, and chills. When she went to the refugee camp’s hospital, run by the International Rescue Committee (IRC), she was diagnosed with tonsillitis and was given oral paink medication and antibiotics. During her follow-up appointment, the medic gave her more of the same medications. After her follow-up appointment, Yar felt a small growth with her tongue inside her bottom left jaw behind her front teeth. She told the medic about this at her next appointment, but it was not checked out and she received more oral medication each week until the beginning of June 2020. During this time, the mass increased in size. In June, she was referred to Umphang Hospital, which then referred her to Mae Sot Hospital (MSH) for surgery. IRC brought Yar to MSH, where she received a physical examination, a CT-scan, and a biopsy of the mass. The CT result indicated that the mass was benign. In July, when she went back to MSH for her follow-up appointment, the doctor removed the mass in her mouth as well as five of her lower front teeth during surgery. Since the surgery, Yar has experienced swelling where the mass was removed. Daily, she experiences an achy pain in her lower left jaw, her neck and her back. The mass has also returned and is increasing in size. IRC referred Yar to Watsi's Medical Partner Burma Children Medical Fund for assistance accessing treatment in Chiang Mai Hospital. After reviewing a CT scan to confirm her diagnosis, the doctor in Chiang Mai recommended she move forward with surgery to remove the tumor. Now, she is scheduled to undergo mass removal surgery on December 3rd. She is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of her procedure and care. Yar shared, "I am scared to receive surgery but I believe that I will be recovered after that so I am happy."

Victor is a five-year-old boy from Kenya. He is the firstborn child in a family of three aged between 5 months and 1 year. He is a kindergartener and a happy boy. On November 24th, Victor was playing with his friends when he accidentally fell down and sustained an injury on his right hand. His father found him on the road crying, and brought him to the hospital. Doctors conducted an x-ray, which revealed a fracture on his right supracondylar. Because he was in pain, and could not move nor lift his hand, Victor was admitted to the pediatrics ward awaiting surgery. Unfortunately, the procedure Victor needs is costly for his family, who lacks a stable income. His father is a casual labourer who looks after people’s cattle, and his mother is a housewife. Victor's family has been able to raise some money, but needs additional support to raise the amount needed for his treatment. On November 27th, Victor will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. Now, Victor's family needs $801 to fund the cost of his care. Victor’s father shared, “I want to see him happy, not in pain, be healthy and have a good life."

Marline is a 7-year-old boy from Kenya. He is a cheerful boy and a Grade 2 student at Jayden Academy. Marline wants to be an engineer when he grows up. Marline's mother says that he loves to dismantle and assemble electronics in the house, and is well on his way to his career dreams. Additionally, Marline has a condition called spina bifida. Earlier in April 2020, Marline was playing with his friends when his mother noticed a small pimple-like wound on his right foot. It was small at first, but slowly started to grow bigger in size. His mother rushed him to a nearby health centre in their hometown, where he has been undergoing dressing in the facility but they have not seen much improvement. Since Marline has been coming to Kijabe Hospital for his spina bifida clinic, he opted to seek review in the hospital and get this wound checked. He was reviewed a week ago by the plastic and pediatric surgical teams, who recommended that he undergoes debridement, excision of calcaneal ulcer, and flap cover surgery to clean and heal his infected wound. Currently, Marline is in pain and at risk for further infection. If left unattended, the wound may result in severe infection and possible amputation. Unfortunately, these procedures are costly for Marline's family. His mother is a single mother raising two kids on her own. Their family lives in a bedsitter house in Ruai, at the outskirts of Nairobi. Marline's father left the family and his responsibility. Marline's mother is the sole breadwinner of the family and she has a small grocery kiosk. The total profit from the venture is very small, and her close relatives are not able to assist with financial support. Their family appeals for help. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Marline receive treatment. On January 6th, surgeons will perform a debridement and skin graft procedure to help heal the wound and prevent possible complications. Now, Marline's family needs help to fund this $1,185 procedure. Marline's mother says, “This wound is worsening by the day. If left unattended, doctors say that he might lose his leg. This would be hurting all of us. Kindly help us as we really don’t have a way out."

Stephen is a 3-year-old boy from Kenya. He's a playful boy and runs to grab a seat with his mother’s phone in his hand while meeting with our local Watsi rep. A week after his mother gave birth to him at home, she took him to a nearby clinic for the general examination. The physician diagnosed him with a birth malformation and referred them to BethanyKids Hospital for treatment. Upon arrival, Stephen was reviewed, some tests were done and he had a first surgery to rectify the condition through a hypospadias repair surgery. Later on, additional surgeries and tests were completed as a follow up. In the process, Stephen has developed a right inguinal hernia that the doctor noticed during his follow-up clinical visit. Stephen does not complain of any pain, but the swelling is very evident. The surgery will stop the swelling and any complications that Stephen may experience in the future. Stephen’s mother is a tailor and his father fetches water for neighbors to earn a living. The few surgeries and expensive tests that were done on Stephen have depleted their family of money to fund the surgery. With no extra source of income, their family of three struggles to sustain themselves and Stephen’s mother is appealing for financial help. Fortunately, on September 24th, he will undergo repair surgery at our medical partner's care center. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $554 to fund Stephen's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably. Stephen’s mother says, “It is hard for us to raise any money for the surgery. Any financial help to us will be appreciated.”

Maisori is a three-year-old boy and the youngest in his family of three children. He is a friendly and playful boy. Maisori was born with an extra finger digit and a congenital hand contracture. His parents had tried to seek treatment for him, but were informed that he would need his extra digit to be amputated and then also release the contracture on his last little finger. They were not able to afford the surgical costs so were not able to go forward with the treatment. Maisori's father works as a driver while his mother sells food at a local restaurant called "mama ntilie "(mum serve me). Maisori is having a hard time holding things with his right hand due to his fingers and has pain in his hand. Maisori's parents heard about Watsi's Medical Partner Care Center ALMC-The Plaster House and they decided to bring him to try seek for help. This treatment will allow Moisori to able to use his right hand more and he will be able to look after himself and be more independent as he grows up. Maisori’s father told us, “Please help my son get this treatment so that his hand can be okay and he can be able to look after himself as he grows up.”

Grayson is a baby from Tanzania. Grayson is a six month old baby boy and the firstborn child to his young parents. Both parents finished their college studies last year. Grayson's mother studied business management while the father was a nursing students and he is currently volunteering at a local hospital in their village. Both parents do not current have jobs and are struggling to make ends meet to be able to support their baby. Grayson has been diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain and increases intracranial pressure. As a result of his condition, Grayson has been experiencing an increasing head circumference. Without treatment, Grayson will experience severe physical and developmental delays. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,300 to cover the cost of surgery for Grayson that will treat his hydrocephalus. The procedure is scheduled to take place on August 24 and will drain the excess fluid from Grayson's brain. This will reduce intracranial pressure and greatly improve his quality of life. With proper treatment, Grayson will hopefully develop into a strong, healthy young boy. Grayson’s mother says, “With no jobs, we are unable to afford our son’s treatment cost. His condition is worsening, please help us.”

Sorma is a one-year-old baby girl from Cambodia and the only child in her family. Her mother is a factory worker and her father is a construction worker. Sorma enjoys playing with her mother, and eating and sleeping. In March 2020, Sorma was accidentally burned by fire. Her face and right arm were badly damaged. She received medical care and skin grafts at another hospital. Now her family has come to Watsi's medical partner Children's Surgical Centre (CSC) for help with the scar contractures on Sorma's eyes, lip, nose, right elbow, and right wrist. Particularly, the scar contracture on her right arm and she cannot bend her right arm now. When Sorma's family learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, they traveled for 90 minutes seeking treatment. On November 18th, surgeons at CSC will perform an elbow contracture release and local flap surgery to help her be able to bend her right arm. Now, she needs help to fund this $787 procedure. Sorma's mother said, "I hope she will be able to use her arm to hold objects and feel more confident."

Leng is a 13-year-old student. He is the youngest of four siblings. His father is a construction worker and his mother is a farmer. His favorite subject at school is literature, and he wants to be a police officer when he grows up. Two months ago, he was hit on the right hip by his brother and it was dislocated. His parents provided him with traditional healing, but the pain in his hip grew over time. He now finds it difficult to walk without pain, and cannot run. Doctors at Children's Surgical Centre (CSC) now plan to perform an osteotomy on his hip in order to reposition the placement of the ball within the socket. Once he recovers he will be able to walk easily and run again. Now, he needs your help to fund this $425 surgery. Leng shared, "It has been difficult to deal with this injury over time, but I am happy that I have this opportunity to have surgery. Thank you to the CSC doctors."

Nasiti is a young girl from Tanzania. She is a four-year-old girl and the firstborn child of two children. Nasiti was unfortunately involved in a fire accident when she was two years old, due to the spillage of hot water from a cooking pot over the fire. She was rushed to the hospital and admitted for a month, and then advised to continue home care and visit a dispensary for local treatment. Nasiti sustained severe burns, and is not able to fully stretch her right hand. She also has contractures on her right axillar and elbow that severely limit her arm movement. This makes it hard for her to use both of her hands in daily life activities. Her parents are small-scale farmers with a few cattle, and they depend solely on what they harvest for their living. Due to financial challenges, they could not continue her inpatient treatment nor seek additional treatment for her contractures. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Nasiti receive treatment. On October 14th, surgeons at their care center will perform a burn contracture release surgery to help release bother her axilla and elbow to give her more range of motion. She will also be able to utilize her hand with ease. Now, Nasiti needs help to fund this $639 procedure. Nasiti’s mother says, “My daughter is unable to use her right hand in her day-to-day activities. Please help her as the cost is too high for us to afford.”

Su is 14-year-old girl from Thailand. She lives with her parents in a village in Take Province, Thailand. After Su completed grade five she was unable to continue her schooling since there are no middle or high schools in their area and her parents could not afford to send her to school in nearby Burma. Today she and her parents are agricultural day laborers, each earning 150 baht (approx. 5 USD) per day. In the past, they used to have enough work but for the past four months they are not able to work as much as they would like to. Due to COVID-19 restrictions on the number of people who can gather, employers are only able to hire five to seven workers in a day. To ensure that everyone has a chance to work in their community, all the day laborers take turns working in a week. Around April or May 2020, Su noticed that she was not feeling well. When she explained how she felt to her mother, she was reassured that this was normal. However, around September 15th, Su started to suffer from terrible lower back and abdominal pain. When she went to Mae Tao Clinic she received an ultrasound which indicated a mass in her uterus. She was then referred to Mae Sot Hospital where she received another ultrasound and physical examination. The doctor then confirmed there was a growing mass in her uterus. The doctor told her they will be able to remove the mass with surgery. Su sought treatment through our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund. She is now scheduled to undergo mass removal surgery on October 1st and is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of her procedure and care. Once she recovers, Su hopes to help her parents out financially. “I will go back to work with my mother and I will save money,” she said. “I will build my parents a new house on our land in Burma. I will also learn to sew and do that [becoming a seamstress] for the rest of my life in my own shop."

Seav Heng is a one-year-old baby boy from Cambodia with one older brother in 1st grade. His parents are rice and potato farmers. Seav Heng enjoys playing with toys with his older brother and going outside with his parents. His family traveled seven hours to reach our medical partner Children's Surgical Centre (CSC). Seav Heng was born with syndactyly of his right hand. This means that Seav Heng's middle and ring fingers are fused together, making it difficult for him to use his right hand to hold objects and do other tasks. Fortunately, on September 25th, surgeons will perform a syndactyly repair procedure to separate and release the fused digits. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $398 to fund this procedure. After surgery, the conjoined digits of his hand will be permanently separated and he will be able to use his hand easily. His mother said, "I hope he will be able to use his hand easily and one day be able to learn how to write."

Our local Watsi rep shared that Monica strains to hear and requests to pull down my mask so that she can read my lips and follow the conversation. She is 33 years old and has had hearing loss for 8 years now. This condition has given her torment, pain, and driven her to near depression. She is unable to hear properly and occasionally gets irritating buzzing noises. She requires bilateral hearing aids that will help her to regain her sense of hearing and boost her self-esteem. In August 2012, it was all blissful and love was in the air for Monica, she shared. She had just settled down into marriage with the love of her life. She remembers vividly on the 23rd day of that month, Monica was doing her daily chores when she felt a billow of wind blowing through her ears. This marked the beginning of her hearing problem and an end to a normal life. At first, Monica thought it was just wind but she started getting nervous when her ears began producing endless buzzing noises that caused her discomfort. She visited a health center in her home town in Mwea where she was reviewed and treated. However, due to the severity of the condition, doctors referred her to a facility with ENT specialists. She has since visited several facilities but the condition keeps recurring. At one point, Monica felt that medical interventions were not working and opted to abandon seeking health care and try prayers. In 2016, she even tried to assembled elders from both sides of the family to help break what they believed was a curse. Nothing worked. Seeing their frustration, a friend of the family referred them to Watsi's Medical Partner Care Center Kijabe Hospital earlier this year. They were unable to visit the facility because they didn’t have money. But in the first week of September, a friend volunteered to give her fare and a little money for a consultation. She was reviewed by the ENT team at the hospital and hearing aids are recommended. Monica is married to a supportive husband who has always stood by her, even at moments when her marriage was going through turmoil. Together, they have three children aged between 4-9 years. They currently live in Ruai in a single room rental house that costs $20 a month. She is a manual laborer who earns daily wages depending on the availability of work. She told us that her income is unpredictable and at times, she goes for days without earning. Her husband works in building sites. On a good day, he makes an average of $4. They depend on this income to pay rent, upkeep for their kids, and medical trips for Monica. They are requesting assistance to make this treatment possible. Monica says, “This condition has frustrated me to a point of threatening my marriage. I know the aids will help to restore my hearing. The buzzing noises are so irritating and uncomfortable. At some point, I felt so low and disappointed that I wanted doctors to shut down my hearing so that I cannot hear the noises.”