Irene is a small-scale farmer from Uganda. She and her husband have five children. For five years, Irene has been experiencing lower abdominal pain with abnormal bleeding and backache. She has often been in and out of hospital seeking medical treatment, but all have been in vain. She had been scheduled for surgery at one of the hospitals, but she could not raise the required funds and stayed home with her pain. Irene was referred to our medical partner's care center, Karoli Lwanga Hospital, where she was diagnosed with a premalignant cervical lesion. She needs to undergo a hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $219 to fund Irene's surgery. On December 4th, she will undergo gynecological surgery, and once recovered, Irene will be able to resume her daily activities free of pain. Irene says, “I have faith that with your support, I will be able to regain my health and will have the strength to continue farming in good health to keep up the family.”

Lillian is a 39-year-old woman who has been undergoing antenatal care from Rushoroza Hospital. She has a 7th-grade education and is married with four children. Her family rents a three-room brick house for shelter. Her husband is a small-scale farmer as well, and they are a low-income family. During her free time, she enjoys spending time with her children. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Lillian undergo a C-Section to deliver her fifth child and is seeking $214 for this procedure. Lilian says, “I pray for a successful recovery. I will continue practicing farming so that I may support my husband in developing our family.’’

Gifton is a fifteen-month-old boy. He is the only child in his family and resides in an urban area Nairobi. His mother, Mercy, works as a housemaid in the area, undertaking various household tasks, including washing clothes. Gifton's mother noticed a deformity in his feet immediately after birth. His feet were turned inward, not as other children's. Gifton has been diagnosed as having clubfoot of both feet--a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. As Gifton grows, this will cause difficulty walking and even wearing shoes if not corrected. Mercy sought medical help for Gifton. When he was just one month old, a course of serial casting to correct the position of his feet was started. Despite these efforts, the condition has not improved, prompting Mercy to seek a pediatric orthopedic review. Doctors at AIC CURE International Hospital in Nairobi have determined that Gifton needs bilateral PMR surgery to correct the deformity. This surgery will be performed on October 23. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,286 to fund Gifton's clubfoot repair. After treatment, there will be a significant impact on Gifton, as the treatment will realign his feet to their normal position. As he grows, he will gain the ability to walk comfortably, just like other children. “I am appealing for help from well-wishers to help my boy walk comfortably like other children,” Gifton's mother told us.

Ohmar is a 36-year-old woman from Thailand. She lives with her husband and two children in a town along the Thai-Burma border. On July 4th, Ohmar was trying to cross the highway to go to a grocery store. She was on her bike on the side of the road when a car sped past, causing her to fall off her bike and land on top of her right arm. A man who saw her fall put turmeric powder on her injured arm and wrapped it in a cloth. But Ohmar did not go to Mae Tao Clinic right away because she did not have enough money. She was only able to seek treatment two days after the accident. Now, Ohnmar's she is in pain, her right arm cannot be extended and her fingers are also swollen. With the help of our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, Ohmar will undergo surgery to reset her fractured bones and ensure proper healing. The procedure is scheduled for July 16th and will cost $1,500. This procedure will help make Ohnmar's right arm become functional again and she will no longer be in pain. "I am happy that I can have surgery with the support of the Burma Children Medical Fund and Watsi donors. I have to look after my two children so I need to be strong for them," shared Ohmar.

Meet Josephine, a 15-year-old girl from Mbembani Village in Kenya. Josephine likes socializing and playing with her friends both at home and at school. Josephine is the 3rd born in a family of 6 children, 2 of her siblings (Musau Muasya & Maureen Mwikali) have physical impairments and have been previously supported by Watsi. Josephine was born partially blind and with additional congenital abnormalities. She is a class four student at Joy Town Special School in Thika. Besides being partially blind, Josephine walks by herself, she seems not to like people who pity her but those who play with her and encourage her. Her mother does household and farm work at their neighbor’s home. This job entails fetching water, washing clothes, as well as going to the shamba. Her husband fled home 3 years ago and has never returned leaving his family in a very difficult state. Treatment will be of great benefit to her as she will walk without straining. Her mother cannot afford to pay for surgery and hence requested for support. Her mother shared, "First, I wish to thank Watsi for the help they have rendered to my two children Musau and Maureen, God bless you so much for the support and I hope you will not get tired in helping my daughter Josephine as well. God bless you so much.”

Yamin is a 13-year-old girl from Thailand. She lives with her family, and her parents work in a garden as day laborers. Unfortunately, her family cannot afford to send her to school. One morning, Yamin woke up with headache and neck stiffness. After one week, she had the same symptoms again. Since then, her condition has worsened. Her doctor suspects that she has a brain tumor. Doctors want Yamin to undergo a CT scan, a procedure in which x-ray images taken from several angles are combined to produce cross-sectional images of the body. This scan will hopefully help doctors diagnose her condition and formulate an appropriate treatment plan. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $414 to cover the cost of Yamin's CT scan and care, scheduled for December 20. Yamin says, “I like to do make-up to others and sew clothes for my toys. I sometimes try to put make-up on my youngest sister, who always refuses, but my younger brother likes to wear make-up and some of my stuff, such as skirts and dresses. When I grow up, I want to be a make-up artist and fashion designer.”

Tumwebaze is a 44-year-old woman from Uganda. Her husband passed away in 2008 and she is now a single parent to five children—three girls and two boys. While her children are at school, Tumwebaze works on her small farm. About 17 years ago, Tumwebaze noticed a swelling on the left side of her head. It was quite small to begin with but has since grown to a much larger size. This growth causes Tumwebaze physical and emotional discomfort, as well as consistent headaches. She has been diagnosed with a giant lipoma and surgery has been recommended. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $187 to fund Tumwebaze's surgery. She is scheduled for treatment on October 19 at our medical partner's care center, Karoli Lwanga Hospital, Nyakibale. After her operation, Tumwebaze will be able to live free of pain and the weight of her lipoma. "I hope to regain normal appearance of the head," Tumwebaze says. "And then after, I will continue with cultivation.”

Samuel is a four-month old baby boy from coastal Kenya. He is the only child of his parents, who love him dearly. Samuel was born prematurely at 32 weeks. One month before he was born, he was diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition where excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain and causes the skull to swell. If left untreated, Samuel will likely suffer brain damage and lose his sight. Doctors recommend that Samuel have surgery to drain the excess fluid from his head and reduce the pressure in his brain. However, because Samuel's parents are subsistence farmers, they can't afford the operation. On August 2, Samuel will undergo surgery. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $685 to fund the treatment. “It pains us to see our only child in pain," says Samuel's mother. "We long to have a happy child in our home."

Yan Pai is a 16-year-old boy from Burma. His mother works as a laundress and a day laborer, planting and picking corn. He left school one year ago because his family could no longer afford tuition. Since then, Yan Pai has been working as a day laborer. For a few months, Yan Pai was experiencing pain in his leg. He tried to continue working, even taking a new job in a furniture shop. Recently, however, the pain grew so severe that Yan Pai found walking difficult and he began using crutches. X-rays showed an abnormal growth in his leg. He was referred to our medical partner for further investigation. On October 17, Yan Pai underwent an MRI. Watsi donors are currently funding this [procedure](https://watsi.org/profile/a9e34854b22c-yan-pai). From this MRI, Yan Pai’s doctor discovered a tumor in his left leg. On November 9, he performed surgery to remove the tumor. Now, Yan Pai’s family needs help to fund this $1,500 procedure.

“Paulina is a cute, two-month-old baby girl,” shares our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). The fourth child in her family, Paulina lives with her parents and siblings on their small farm in Tanzania. Paulina was born with a lesion on her back due to a condition called myelomeningocele--a form of spina bifida that occurs when a baby’s spinal cord improperly develops prior to birth. AMHF explains, “Paulina has a lesion on her lower back, which can easily burst and [leak] cerebrospinal fluid which, if untreated, can lead to other big health problems.” Shortly following her at-home delivery, Paulina and her mother were taken to the hospital, where Paulina’s mother was advised to take her daughter to a bigger hospital for back closure. Both of Paulina’s parents are small-scale farmers. As AMHF states, “They did not harvest well the last two seasons so their financial situation is currently not good. They need financial support so that their daughter can have surgery done.” With $1,200 in Watsi funding, Paulina can undergo surgery to treat her spinal cord defect. The opening on her back will be closed, preventing her from losing cerebrospinal fluid and easily contracting infection. “My hope is for my daughter to get well, continue with normal growth, and later on, go to school and live an independent life,” Paulina’s mother says.

“My hope is that my son will one day be able to walk properly like the rest of my children,” says Mathayo’s mother. Meet Mathayo, a one-year-old baby boy from Tanzania. Mathayo is the youngest of five children in a family that makes a living by raising and selling cattle. However, due to dry weather conditions, grazing areas are limited which has made it harder to prosper as a cattle herder. Mathayo has been diagnosed with a bilateral clubfoot and is in need of corrective surgery. His family is unable to afford his treatment and they have turned to Watsi for help. For $1,160, Mathayo will be able to walk normally with straight feet, and will not be at risk of developing early osteoarthritis. Let’s help Mathayo get the treatment he needs!

“We really hope that something can be done to help Joseph walk properly again," Joseph's parents tell us. "His condition is affecting him psychologically, and lately, he has been avoiding going out to play with his friends. We want him to be able to continue with his education.” Meet Joseph, a quiet 13-year-old boy from Tanzania who has bilateral genus varus, or knocked knees. He used to love running and playing soccer, but now he involves himself more with indoor activities. “At first, he could walk without feeling any pain. Now, he often complains of pain in his knees,” explains our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation. Because walking long distances is difficult, Joseph’s parents had to move him to a nearby school. However, he only has two more years to complete his primary education. After that, they are worried, as there are no secondary schools close by for him to attend. For only $940, we can pay for the surgery necessary to straighten Joseph’s lower limbs. Without our help, his parents, who are small-scale farmers with seasonal income, will not be able to cover the cost of corrective surgery. Let’s work together to ensure Joseph can go to school!