Kakwaya and his wife live in Uganda with their four daughters and nine sons. Twelve of their children are married, and the youngest has just completed school. Kakwaya and his wife have no stable source of income. They are supported by one of their daughters. 16 years ago, Kakwaya underwent a hernia repair at a government hospital. In 2010, he developed another painful swelling in his left inguinal region. He lived with this condition for six years because he could not afford treatment. Unfortunately, herbal medicines did not alleviate his symptoms. He became unable to walk long distances, dig, or even eat large meals. Finally, Kakwaya visited our medical partner's hospital, Holy Family Virika Hospital, where he underwent a hernia repair surgery on November 30. $249 will fund the cost of Kakwaya's hernia repair. All medical costs are included, as well as Kakwaya's three-night stay in the hospital. After recovery, Kakwaya will have an improved quality of life. He hopes to graze cows and goats for sustenance.

Kelly lives with her parents and four siblings in a bamboo house with a metal roof. Kelly's father works as a vendor, but he has difficulty providing for the family. Without proper nutrition, Kelly weighs less than other children her age. Kelly has been diagnosed with moderately acute malnutrition. She began $184 malnutrition treatment on October 21. She is being treated by International Care Ministries (ICM), a Watsi medical partner. One out of five children under five in ICM communities is either severely or moderately acutely malnourished. Worldwide, poor nutrition is associated with nearly half of all deaths in young children. In remote communities and urban slums of the Philippines, the lack of clean water and unclean environments add risk to potentially fatal childhood diseases. ICM’s Home-Based Feeding program provides nutrient-enriched food packs to ensure malnourished children get additional food to regain normal weight and achieve optimum physical and mental development. After identifying a child as malnourished, staff and community volunteers make weekly visits to monitor this child’s progress. To help sustain the health of the child, ICM's professional staff educate the mother, guardian, or other family members about proper nutrition, sanitation, hygiene, and organic vegetable gardening. "We hope that she will recover from malnutrition and become strong and healthy," say Kelly's parents, "so that she can finish her studies."