Mai is a bright and friendly 10-year-old student. She is in grade two and has an older brother and a younger sister. Her brother is a taxi driver and her sister is a student in grade one. Her father is a farmer and her mother works in a brick kiln firing pottery. In the future, Mai would like to be a nurse. Mai was born with syndactyly of both of her hands and her feet. This means that she has three digits on each hand and foot that are fused together. She has difficulty using her hand for writing or carrying objects, and cannot wear shoes She is embarrassed about how her hands and feet look and suffers from a lack of peer acceptance. Fortunately, on October 7th, surgeons will perform a syndactyly repair procedure to separate and release the fused digits. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $444 to fund this procedure. After surgery, she will be able to use her hand easily and her self-esteem will improve. Her mother said: "My child has had this condition since birth. We have not been able to take her to a hospital because we are financially struggling from the pandemic. I hope that the doctors can fix her hands and feet soon so she will look like other children."

Ivan is an 11-month-old baby who is very energetic. He is now at the crawling stage, and from the moment he arrived at our medical partner's care centre, Ivan has not stopped crawling from one point to another. Ivan lives with both his parents. His father is a small-scale farmer, and the sole provider for the family, while his mother stays at home taking care of household chores. He is very close to his mother, but also not afraid to meet new people. His mother enjoys watching him move around. She has struggled to find treatment for him since he was a newborn baby. When Ivan was born, his parents tried their best to pay for his treatment, but halfway through the treatment plan, they could not afford to pay anymore. Ivan has clubfoot of his right foot. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and wearing shoes as he grows. Fortunately, Ivan's family came to our medical partner's care center, Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on November 8th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $935 to fund Ivan's clubfoot repair. After treatment, he will be able to walk easily when he grows up. Ivan’s mother says, “my biggest wish is to see my son learn how to stand and eventually start walking.”

Saw Myo is a 14-year-old from Burma. He lives with his grandparents, parents, two sisters, and brother. His grandparents are retired. His father farms paddy and rubber trees on their land, while his mother is a homemaker. Saw Myo and his siblings are all in school, but Saw Myo recently had to stop attending due to a medical condition. Saw Myo has had a lump on his lower spinal cord since he was nine years old due to an injury from a slingshot. He received medicinal ointment from a traditional healer that helped with the stiffness and prevented further growth. However, Saw Myo fell off his bicycle a few years later, and the lump grew in size. His family took him to several clinics, and an X-ray indicated a potential spinal cord problem. The doctors recommended a computerized tomography (CT) scan, but due to COVID-19 policies, Saw Myo could not receive the scan. His parents continued to try and help Saw Myo receive treatment but learned that his condition could not be treated locally. Saw Myo's mother then contacted a neighbor who worked as a medic at a clinic in Burma and began raising money for his care. The doctors want Saw Myo to undergo an MRI, which is an imaging procedure that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce images of bodily organs. This scan will help doctors diagnose his condition and formulate an appropriate treatment plan. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), is helping Saw Myo receive this treatment. On November 15th, he will undergo an MRI. BCMF requests $814 to cover the cost of Saw Myo's MRI procedure and care. Saw Myo's mother said: “We have been so worried since we saw the mass increasing in size. It was tiring to seek treatment in Burma, and we now have borrowed a lot of money without Saw Myo having received treatment."

Cleophas is a 23-year-old farmer and student from a Kenyan family of eleven. He is studying at a technical training institute, and grows potatoes to help him pay his school fees. His wife is also a student taking an information technology course at the same institute, and they have a 2-year-old son. When schools are in session, they live in a rental house near their school, but during the holiday they stay at home and focus on farming as it is their main source of income. Cleophas was preparing timber for repair of their maize store, when one of the timbers fell on his leg and injured him. The heavy timber broke his leg, and when he was examined, he had a large wound on his left leg with tendons and proximal tibia exposed. He was rushed to theatre for incision and drainage and his fracture was stabilized with a long leg posterior splint. Now Cleophas is unable to use his swollen and painful leg. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On November 8th, Cleophas will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. Cleophas will no longer be in pain, he will be able to use his leg and work to provide for family. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,145 to fund this medical procedure. Cleophas says, "I am the sole bread winner in the family. Sometimes I give a helping hand to my parents so that my siblings can study. I feel so sorry for myself now that I cannot use my limb. Please help me so that my family may not suffer.”

James is a porter who helps at Rushasha Health Center - he has been working there for 40 years. The 60-year-old is a father to six children with three daughters, all teachers, and already married. Two of his sons are still in school. While James only has two months until retirement, he is worried that his sons have not yet finished school. He has a lot of school loans and is worried about whether he will be able to rest after his retirement. Since six years ago, James has had a right inguinal hernia. This is more painful when he lifts something, walks long distances, and when he sits for long periods. Fortunately, on September 27th, he will undergo hernia repair surgery at our medical partner's care center. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $230 to fund James's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably and confidently. James says: “I know I will hustle and make sure my sons complete school once given a chance to regain my health after my surgery under your support.”

Emmanuel is a 17-year-old student from Haiti who hopes to become a doctor. He lives with his aunt and uncle in a neighborhood of Port-au-Prince so that he can more easily attend school, as his parents live in the countryside. Emmanuel has a cardiac condition called rheumatic mitral regurgitation, which means one of his heart valves was severely damaged from an infection he experienced in early childhood. In 2017, Emmanuel underwent heart surgery to repair his existing valve. This surgery stabilized his heart for several years, but the valve remains unable to pump blood adequately throughout his body. Emmanuel needs to undergo a second surgery to replace the valve with a prosthetic heart valve. Emmanuel will fly to the Dominican Republic to receive treatment, as this surgery is unavailable in Haiti. On November 10th, he will undergo cardiac surgery, during which surgeons will remove the damaged heart valve and implant a replacement valve. An organization called Mitral Foundation is contributing $8,000 to pay for help pay for surgery. Emmanuel's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep. The $1,500 bill covers labs, medicines, and check-up and follow-up appointments. It also supports passport obtainment and the social workers from our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, who will accompany Emmanuel's family overseas. Emmanuel shared, "I am looking forward to growing stronger and having much more energy after my surgery!"

Phally is a 28-year-old painting seller from Cambodia who lives with her older sister. In her free time, Phally enjoys exercising, playing games, and scrolling through Facebook. Ten years ago, Phally had an ear infection. This infection caused the ear drum in her right ear to perforate. For this reason, she now experiences pain and hearing loss, which makes it difficult to communicate with others. Phally traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On August 10th, she will undergo a myringoplasty procedure in her right ear. During this procedure, surgeons will close the perforation. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $487 to fund this procedure. This covers supplies, treatment, and inpatient care. Phally says, "I hope my hearing will improve so I can enjoy more conversations and my family will not have to speak so loud to talk to me."

Aye is a 58-year-old woman from Burma. She lives alone in a village in Burma. She used to work as a day labourer and she would also collect and sell tree leaves used to make roofs. However, she has been unable to work since her condition worsened. In her free time, she likes to go to the village temple, to help cook and clean for the monks and worshippers. Since December 2021, Aye has been experiencing lower abdominal and back pain. She has slight numbness in her left leg, dizziness, and other worrying symptoms. Diagnosed with abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB), Aye has been advised to undergo a total abdominal hysterectomy, the surgical removal of her uterus and cervix. If left untreated, Aye's symptoms will continue to worsen and put her at risk for further health complications in the future. Fortunately, Aye is scheduled to undergo her hysterectomy on September 12th. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of her procedure and care. Once recovered, she will no longer experience pain. She said, "I would like to say thank you to the donors and the organisation for paying for my surgery.”

Sitha is a 72-year-old widowed grandmother living in Cambodia. She has two sons and four grandchildren, and lives with her younger son, who is a construction worker. For most of her life, Sitha worked as a tailor, but she retired from her job recently due to her age and poor vision. Now she likes to spend her days listening to the monks praying on the radio, and visiting her local pagoda to help the monks. One year ago, Sitha developed a cataract, which causes tearing and blurry vision in her left eye. She is no longer able to use a sewing machine, and limits her activities outdoors due to light sensitivity. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, and is reluctant to go out on her own. Sitha learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, and sought their help. As a result, she is scheduled to undergo cataract surgery on October 11th, when doctors at Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre will implant an intraocular lens in her eye. After she has recovered, Sitha will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs your help to fund this $253 procedure. Sitha said: "I hope after surgery I can see better, and go outside. I hope to take care of myself and not need help from others."

Zion is a playful and active baby girl from the Philippines. She loves to eat, dance, and play! Her mother stays home taking care of her, and her father works as an online seller. Zion was born with an anorectal malformation, a congenital condition that leads to a complete or partial intestinal blockage. She needs to undergo a series of procedures to eliminate bowel dysfunction. While her parents share that her father's income is enough to support their day-to-day needs, they cannot fund another surgery, especially since they are still working to pay off debt from Zion's previous surgeries. Fortunately, our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP), can help. Zion is scheduled to undergo surgery to correct her condition on July 16th at WSFP's care center, Our Lady of Peace Hospital. Now, her family needs support in raising $434 to cover the total cost of the procedure and care. After her recovery, Zion will no longer experience bowel dysfunction or be at risk of developing health complications in the future. Zion's mother shares, "This will be her third and last surgery. After the surgery, Zion will be able to play and move comfortably. As a parent, I don't want her to get bullied and be hurt when she grows up. Thanks to Watsi and World Surgical Foundation Philippines, she can now grow as a normal kid."

Heng is a 75-year-old grandmother from Cambodia. She is married and has three sons, one daughter, and seven grandchildren. She and her husband live with their daughter and son-in-law, who is a car mechanic. Two years ago, Heng developed a cataract in her right eye, causing her to experience eye tearing, itchiness, and blurry vision. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so she is not able to go places on her own. When Heng learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for three and a half hours seeking treatment. On September 1st, doctors will perform a phacoemulsification cataract surgery and place an intraocular lens implant in her right eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $253 procedure. Heng shares that she hopes to see everything clearly again and that she will be able to join ceremonies at the pagoda.

Ko Kyaw lives with his wife and two daughters in the border region of Tak Province in Thailand. He is a homemaker while his wife works as a day laborer. He plans to send his older daughter to a Thai school in the new school year, but his younger daughter is still too young to go to school. In early 2021, Kyaw was still living in his village in Myawaddy Township in Burma but it has been a very challenging time for his community ever since the military coup. He and his wife were injured in an emergency involving the local soldiers who came to their area. Luckily other villagers came to their rescue and Kyaw was treated for fractures on both his upper and lower leg, where a metal rod was inserted to help him heal. Now the bone in his thigh is misshapen and doctors have diagnosed osteomyelitis (infected bone). His doctor told him that in order to heal, he would need to have the metal rods replaced in both his upper and lower leg. Currently, Kyaw’s left leg is in a lot of pain. He can only bend his leg slightly and needs to use crutches to get around. With his leg in pain, Ko Kyaw spends most of his time helping out with household chores he can do and teaching his oldest daughter how to read and write in Burmese. He feels frustrated that since his leg was broken, he cannot support his family. Our medical partner Burma Children Medical Fund is helping to pay the cost of his treatment and is raising $1500 to cover his surgery, which will take place on May 10th. “I feel upset that I cannot support my family as the head of the house,” he said. “We only have my wife’s income. We do not have our own house to live in. I want to say a lot of things but I cannot express what I want to say. I never thought that I would lose my house, my possessions and that my leg would be in pain.”