Anny Sanic is a very enthusiastic and fun four-year-old girl from Guatemala. She lives with her mom and dad and loves to play with her dolls. She also loves to eat lots of bread and sing songs. Anny Sanic needs pterygium correction surgery. Pterygiums are non-cancerous growths of the conjunctiva, a mucous layer that lubricates the eye. The growths occur when the conjunctiva is exposed to excessive sun damage and the cells grow abnormally over the pupil. Common symptoms of a pterygium include redness, blurred vision, and eye irritation. Depending on how large the growth is, it can cause vision loss. Anny Sanic needs a surgical procedure to remove the abnormal conjunctiva from the cornea surface and replace it with a conjunctival graft to prevent recurrence. She will receive further evaluation from an eye specialist, surgery to remove the pterygium, post-op follow-up treatment, as well as accompaniment and transportation throughout the treatment process. Pterygium surgery is safe, effective, and will positively impact Anny Sanic's life for years to come. The total cost of her procedure, scheduled for October 18, is $1,487.

Arinda is a young student from Uganda. He has two siblings who are both in school. He wants to become a doctor. The mother is a small-scale farmer. For three years, Arinda has had a swelling on his scalp. It is painful and has caused him discomfort and disfigurement. Arinda traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On October 2, surgeons will remove the mass. Now, Arinda needs help to raise $187 to fund this procedure. His mother says, “I will be glad to have my child happy and in good health again after the surgery and I continue with cultivation to cater for my family.”

"We dream that our daughter can gain the necessary weight and be a good student," shares 8-month-old Andrea's mother. Andrea is the first child in her family. She lives in Guatemala with her parents, in a one-room house made of wood with a tin roof. Her father is a bricklayer and her mother works at home - taking care of Andrea, cooking, and cleaning. Andrea is almost three times below a healthy size for her age because she has not been receiving adequate protein, macronutrients, or calories in order to grow. Her mother thought that Andrea was growing normally, until one of our nutrition technicians visited her home and showed her how much smaller her daughter is than healthy children. Even though Andrea's parents work hard, they do not have the money to buy their daughter even one piece of fruit, vegetable, or egg per day - the minimum she needs to get well. Not only is Andrea small due to her malnutrition, her immune system has also been weakened due to her poor diet, making her more prone to getting fevers, diarrhea, and respiratory infections, causing her to lose even more weight, and slowing her mental and physical development. In the long term, she is likely to have a low IQ and be at greater risk for chronic disease if she does not receive treatment. Although Andrea has a serious illness, treatment for malnutrition is simple. Her parents will receive in-home motivational nutrition classes to teach them about what diet Andrea needs to be healthy. She will be a part of Wuqu' Kawoq's growth monitoring program, and will receive food supplements and micronutrients to improve her diet. This treatment, which costs $512, will give Andrea the chance to be a healthy baby, helping her grow, strengthen her immune system, and putting her on track to live a healthy and full life.

Meet John, a seven-year-old boy from the Philippines. John is an active child who loves to roam around and play with other children. He also enjoys drawing and playing with toy trucks. When John was eight months old, his parents noticed something wrong with his scrotum. When they brought him to a pediatrician, their son was diagnosed with a hernia, or a protrusion of the intestinal tissue through the abdominal wall. The doctor advised to seek surgical care for their son. They did not have the financial ability to seek care at that time, and were also worried that something unexpected would happen during the operation. However, they were aided financially by a missionary and John underwent a successful operation. Everything was well until John was two years old. His hernia reappeared on the left side, leaving his mother fearful and scared to let her son out of her sight. When his parents brought him to the doctor, they were told that John should be prohibited from too much playing, running, and crying. These restrictions were a large burden, as John's parents know that a child his age wants the freedom to play and explore. John's mother often stops him from playing and running outside, which causes him frustration. She sometimes cries when she sees him sadly looking through the window at the other children playing. John's parents were delighted when they were referred to Watsi's medical partner, International Care Ministries. After a series of tests, the doctor recommended hernia repair surgery-- a $962 procedure during which John's herniated tissue will be returned to the abdominal cavity. Once he has healed from his surgery, John will be free from the pain he now experiences and able to return to his regular activities. The only income provider in the family is John's father, who works as a helper in a storehouse. He earns $110 per month, which is barely enough for the family's basic needs, let alone the cost of his son's operation. As a result, the family requires assistance to afford this important procedure. John loves his family very much and he always hugs and makes sweet comments to his parents when he sees them tired or sad. His mother wants to see John free from his condition and enjoying his childhood years. She hopes that he can explore and make friends. "Thank you so much in advance for this," says John's mother. "It means so much to us. I hope and pray this will be the last surgery that John will undergo and that he will be free from his illness."

Cristel is an only child from Guatemala, and a joy to her parents. Cristel loves to eat beans, which are her favorite food, color and paint, and play with her dolls. Her father works in a clothing factory in Guatemala, and her mother takes care of Cristel, cooks, and cleans. Cristel lives with her mother and extended family in one-room house in a Maya Quiche village in the mountains. The family loves to spend their free time going to church, where Cristel has joined the choir. Cristel was born with several heart defects. One of them is a hole in her heart, which makes her heart work twice as hard to pump oxygenated blood into her body. She also has a defect in the veins that take blood from the lungs to the heart, which connect to the heart in the wrong place, meaning that oxygenated blood enters and leaves from the wrong part of the heart, depriving her body of oxygenated blood. If she does not receive immediate treatment, she could go into heart failure, have high blood pressure in the lungs (which is damaging), dangerous irregular heart rhythms, or a stroke. Although Cristel's father works hard, he makes only a couple dollars per day, making this life-saving surgery a luxury they cannot afford for their daughter. This surgical intervention will repair the defects in Cristel's heart and veins. $1,169 in funds will allow Watsi's medical partner, Wuqu' Kawoq, to provide surgeons and necessary medication for Cristel's condition. Once her heart can function properly, she will be able to run and play like a normal child, and her mother will be able to send her to school without worry. She will be able to run and play for long periods of time, and be more independent, allowing her to attend school. This treatment will greatly improve her quality of life now, and prevent her from facing the life-threatening consequences of her defects later on. Her mother shares: "I hope this surgery helps Cristel to go to school, so she can study and one day be a secretary."

Even though Marlin is almost 6 months old, she is the size of an average three-month-old. This is because she is suffering from malnutrition, which prevents her from growing and developing normally. In addition to stunted growth, her immune system is weak from the lack of protein, calories, and nutrients in her diet, making a normal cold or cough much more dangerous for her than a healthy child. If left untreated, the effects of malnutrition could could stick with her for the rest of her life--such as increased risk of chronic diseases, low IQ, and a higher likelihood of dropping out of school. Marlin lives with her parents and two older siblings in a one-room house made of wood with a tin roof in Guatemala. Her mother works taking care of Marlin and her siblings, cooking, and cleaning. Her father works as a day laborer, only making a couple dollars per day. Although they want the best for her, they cannot afford to give her even one piece of fruit, vegetable, or egg per day--making it impossible for her to overcome her malnutrition without treatment. Growth monitoring, micronutrients and food supplementation will help Marlin recover from malnutrition. She will gain weight and grow taller to catch up with other children her age. Her immune system will grow stronger with the increased caloric intake. This will further increase her appetite and help her use the extra calories to develop mentally instead of those calories being wasted on getting over frequent bouts of diarrhea. Her parents will receive the support they need to feel empowered to give Marlin the diet she needs to grow and develop healthily, even with their limited resources. Intervention now will prevent the future devastating effects of malnutrition, and give Marlin the chance to live a healthy and productive life, finish school, get a good job, and escape the cycle of malnutrition and poverty that made her sick in the first place.

Julio is the only child in his family, and "the light of his parents’ life," shares his medical team. He lives with his family a one-room cinderblock house in Guatemala. His father works as a day laborer in a plantation near their village, and his mother works at home taking care of him, as well as cooking and cleaning. Although his parents want nothing but the best for their son, with only a couple dollars per day to live on, they cannot afford to give him even one egg, fruit, or vegetable per day—the minimum he needs to gain weight and grow taller like he should. Julio is suffering from malnutrition. This is because his mother cannot produce adequate breastmilk to keep her son healthy. She has tried taking herbs and other natural medicines to help increase her milk production, but it has not been working. Lactation failure can lead to the child becoming starving, dehydrated, and provoke electrolyte imbalances that can cause seizures. Brain development occurring during this delicate time is compromised and the baby is at risk of long term deficiencies. Lactation failure, while dangerous, is easy to treat. By supplying the baby with formula and the mother with health education, Julio will receive the calories he needs to grow and thrive. One-on-one education with Julio’s mother will prepare her for when he needs to start eating solid food, as well as help her watch for further signs of malnutrition and other illness. Julio’s immune system will strengthen and he will grow up to be a healthy energetic baby. “I would like to see my son be an engineer when he is big," Julio's mother shares.

Axel is a three-month-old baby from a Mayan community in Guatemala. He lives with his siblings and parents in a one-room adobe house with a tin roof and dirt floor. His mother works at home, cooking and cleaning, and him father works as a bricklayer, only receiving an income on days when there is work. Axel’s mother cannot produce sufficient breast milk for her child and cannot afford formula as a substitute, leaving Axel malnourished. She thought that her son looked normal, and did not realize how underweight he was. She has been giving him boiled water with sugar in it to make him stop crying. As a result, Axel is failing to meet normal growth markers and is far below the average height and the average weight for his age—he is still the size of a newborn. At such a young age, malnutrition is dangerous. Lactation failure can lead to the child becoming starving, dehydrated, and provoke electrolyte imbalances that can cause seizures. Brain development occurring during this delicate time is compromised and the baby is at risk of long term damage. Lactation failure, while dangerous, is easy to treat. By supplying the baby with formula and the mother with health education, Axel will receive the calories he needs to grow and thrive. We can provide this life-saving treatment for $1107. One-on-one education with Axel’s mother will prepare her for when he needs to start eating solid food, as well as help her watch for further signs of malnutrition and other illness. Axel’s immune system will strengthen and he will grow up to be a healthy and energetic baby.

Jonathan is a 16-month-old boy, and the second child in his family. He lives with his family a one-room cinderblock house in Guatemala. His father works as an assistant bricklayer, and his mother works at home taking care of him and his siblings, as well as cooking and cleaning. Although they both want nothing but the best for their son, with only a couple dollars per day to live on, they cannot afford to give him even one egg, fruit, or vegetable per day. As a result, Jonathan is suffering from malnutrition. This is because his parents cannot afford to give him a healthy diet, which means his body lacks the calories, nutrients, and protein it needs to grow and be healthy. His mother says that he is almost always sick and never has an appetite. If he does not receive treatment, Jonathan could face the consequences of malnutrition for the rest of his life—he could have a low IQ, trouble focusing in school, and a greater risk of developing chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension as an adult. Growth monitoring, micronutrient and food supplementation, and deworming medication will help Jonathan recover from malnutrition. He will gain weight and grow taller to catch up with other children his age. His immune system will grow stronger with the increased caloric intake. This will further increase his appetite and help him use the extra calories to gain motor skills and learn new words instead of those calories being wasted on getting over frequent illnesses. Jonathan's mother will also receive the support she need to feel empowered to give Jonathan the diet he needs to grow and develop healthily, even with limited resources. Intervention now will give Jonathan the chance to live a healthy and productive life and escape the cycle of malnutrition and poverty that made him sick in the first place.

20-month-old Angela lives with her parents in a one-room house in Guatemala, made of cinderblocks with a tin roof. Her mother works at home, taking care of Angela, cooking, and cleaning. Her father works as a farmer, only making a couple dollars per day by selling his corn and beans. Although they want the best for her, they cannot afford to give her even one piece of fruit, vegetable, or egg per day--making it impossible for her to overcome her malnutrition without treatment. Angela has not been able to grow like she should. This is because she is suffering from malnutrition, a dangerous condition is caused by her parent’s inability to afford foods for her that are rich in protein, calories, and nutrients. Not only is her poor diet affecting her size, but it is weakening her immune system—making her sick almost constantly with a cold, fever, or diarrhea. If she does not receive treatment, she could face long-term consequences such as increased risk of chronic diseases, low IQ, and a higher likelihood of dropping out of school. Growth monitoring, micronutrients and food supplementation will help Angela recover from malnutrition. She will gain weight and grow taller to catch up with other children her age. Her immune system will grow stronger with the increased caloric intake. This will further increase her appetite and help her use the extra calories to develop mentally instead of those calories being wasted on getting over frequent bouts of diarrhea. Her parents will receive the support they need to feel empowered to give Angela the diet she needs to grow and develop healthily, even with their limited resources. Intervention now will prevent the future devastating effects of malnutrition, and give Angela the chance to live a healthy and productive life, finish school, get a good job, and escape the cycle of malnutrition and poverty that made her sick in the first place.

"We hope he can improve and have good development so he can be a teacher when he's big," shared Baudillo's mother. Baudillo is 14 months old, and the youngest of seven children in his family. He lives with his parents and older siblings in a one room adobe house with a tin roof in Guatemala. He absolutely loves to play with his ball, which he hates to share with his older siblings. His mother works at home, cooking, cleaning, and taking care of the children. His father is a day laborer in the fields, making only a couple dollars per day when there’s work. Although his parents work hard, they do not have the resources to feed him even one vegetable, piece of fruit, or egg—the minimum that he needs to reach a healthy height and weight. Baudillo is suffering from malnutrition, meaning that he is much too small for his age. Not only has his physical grown been stunted, but his immune system lacks the fuel necessary to fight off common sicknesses such as coughs, diarrhea, and fevers, which can be life-threatening for a malnourished child like Baudillo. Unfortunately, malnutrition also decreases his appetite—further worsening the problem. If Baudillo does not receive treatment, he could face the consequences for the rest of his life—such as short stature as an adult, lower IQ, a harder time focusing, and have trouble in school--all making it more likely that he will have lower-paying job as an adult and have children who are also malnourished. For $512, Baudillo will receive growth monitoring, food supplements, and deworming medication which will help him grow, develop healthily both mentally and physically, and overcome malnutrition. His parents will receive nutrition education so they can learn how to best feed Baudillo, even with the little resources they have. If Baudillo receives treatment now, he will be able to have normal mental and physical development, giving him a better chance to be a successful student and to one day be qualified for a well-paying job. This treatment will give Baudillo a better chance of escaping the cycle of malnutrition and poverty.

Six-month-old Cristhofer is the youngest of two children. He lives with his family in a one-room cinderblock house in Guatemala. His mother is raising him alone, and works cooking, cleaning, and taking care of him and his siblings, as well as washing neighbors’ clothes to earn a little money. Although his mom wants the best for him, she does not have the resources to feed him even one vegetable, piece of fruit, or egg—the minimum that he needs to be able to overcome malnutrition. When he was born, Cristhofer had to spend the first weeks of his life hospitalized for pneumonia. Since then, he has not been able to catch up to a normal weight. His mother says that he is almost always sick and never has an appetite—that is because he hasn’t had a healthy diet filled with protein, calories, and nutrients. If he does not receive treatment, Cristhofer could face the consequences of malnutrition for the rest of his life—he could have a low IQ, trouble focusing in school, and a greater risk of developing chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension as an adult. All these consequences make it less likely he will have a well-paying job as an adult, meaning the cycle of poverty and malnutrition would continue if he decides to have kids. Growth monitoring, micronutrient and food supplementation, and deworming medication will help Cristhofer recover from malnutrition. He will gain weight and grow taller to catch up with other children his age. His immune system will grow stronger with the increased caloric intake. This will further increase his appetite and help him use the extra calories to gain motor skills and learn new words instead of those calories being wasted on getting over frequent illnesses. His mother will receive the support she need to feel empowered to give Cristhofer the diet he needs to grow and develop healthily, even with limited resources. Intervention now will give Cristhofer the chance to live a healthy and productive life and escape the cycle of malnutrition and poverty that made him sick in the first place.