Silvanus is a 2-month-old baby boy who has brought much joy to his family. His father is a boda-boda (motorcycle for hire) driver, and his mother is a local food vendor. Silvanus was born with clubfoot of both feet. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Silvanus's parents did not seek treatment when he was born because the doctor who delivered him told his parents that the condition usually corrects with time. They have been waiting for his legs to improve as he gets older, but they see no improvement and are worried. They started talking to people in their community about how they can help their child, and were advised to take Silvanus to another hospital for diagnosis. They have tried their best to save money for their son’s treatment, but meeting the family's basic needs make it challenging. Fortunately, Silvanus traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on December 13th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $935 to fund Silvanus's clubfoot repair. After treatment, he will heal and be able to walk normally and wear shoes as he grows up. Silvanus's mother says, “I wish my son's feet will be like other babies’ feet and he will grow up to have a normal life."

Kausali is an eight month old girl from Tanzania. She is an only child and her parents are small-scale farmers. Kausali has been diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in her brain and increases intracranial pressure. As a result of her condition, Kausali has an increased head circumference and difficulty feeding. Without treatment, Kausali will experience severe physical and developmental delays. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $802 to cover the cost of surgery for Kausali that will treat her hydrocephalus. The procedure is scheduled to take place on June 22 and will drain the excess fluid from Kausali's brain. This will reduce intracranial pressure and greatly improve her quality of life. With proper treatment, Kausali will hopefully develop into a strong, healthy young girl. Kausali’s mother shared, “We don’t have the means to pay for our baby's important surgery, we are kindly asking for your help so that our daughter can have a chance to be well again."

Aron is a seven-year-old from Kenya. He's a happy young boy and plays with his mother’s phone while meeting with our local Watsi rep. His mother shared his story with us: when he was younger she took him to a facility near their home for circumcision and the doctor assessed that he had undescended testes. The doctor referred Aron's family to Watsi's medicap partner care center BethanyKids Hospital for an orchidopexy surgery. If Aron's condition is left untreated, he may have long-term medical complications. Aron’s mother earns money washing clothes for people in their home area. She has been doing this ever since she separated with her husband a few years ago. With this job, she has been able to provide her family of two children. With the few savings she had accumulated over the years, she had managed to raise just enough funds for her son's circumcision which has been postponed. Aron is now scheduled to undergo testicular surgery, but his mother is not able to raise enough funds for his treatment and is requesting financial help. Aron was diagnosed with cryptorchidism, a condition in which one or both of the testicles remains undescended. If left untreated, Aron has an increased risk of developing hernias, testicular cancer, and fertility problems in the future. Aron will be receiving assistance from our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). Fortunately, he is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on December 17th. AMHF is requesting $561 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. Aron’s mother says, “When I heard about the upcoming surgery for my son, I did know what to do as I have no money. As a parent, I want my child to be in good health. Any financial help will be highly appreciated.”

Sonich is a farmer from Cambodia. He has one sister and three brothers. He likes to listen to music and play games. Seventeen years ago, Sonich had an ear infection. This infection caused the tympanic membrane, or the ear drum, in his left ear to perforate. For this reason, Sonich experiences tinnitus and ear discharge. He cannot hear well. Sonich traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On November 7, he will undergo a myringoplasty procedure in his left ear. During this procedure, surgeons will close the perforation. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $423 to fund this procedure. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care. He says, "I hope my ear feels better after the operation and I can go back to work."

Rosemarie is a 38-year-old woman with two children. She enjoys cooking and spending time with her children. Eleven years ago, Rosemarie began to experience uncomfortable symptoms. She had difficulty swallowing and felt tightness around her neck. When she worked, she experienced shortness of breath and extreme fatigue. Over time, her symptoms have worsened and grown more frequent. There are times when she cannot perform simple household chores. Rosemarie's husband is a construction worker. Recently, her oldest son left school to begin working. Despite his help, they do not earn enough to support the family. Though Rosemarie wanted to seek medical treatment, the family could not afford hospital expenses. Finally, Rosemarie visited our medical partner, International Care Ministries. She underwent a series of laboratory tests and was diagnosed with a thyroid condition. She will undergo a thyroidectomy surgery on December 9. Now, Rosemarie needs help to fund this $1,500 procedure. She looks forward to recovery. She will return to work and spend time with her family. "I was praying fervently that I will be healed from this condition," says Rosemarie. "Now, it will be answered. Thank you, because you will help me for this surgery. My family and myself are grateful for this wonderful early Christmas gift to us. After the treatment, I will cook a very nice meal for my family and friends. Though we are not rich, we are thankful still that this life is worth living. Thank you so much."

Maria is a 19-month-old girl from Guatemala. Her family cannot afford to give her a nutritious diet filled with protein, calories, and nutrients, so she is not gaining weight or growing. She is only the size of a healthy 11-month-old. Maria has been diagnosed with acute malnutrition. She has little energy to grow, and her immune system is weak and vulnerable to illness. She is also at risk of chronic disease and delayed development. Fortunately, she began malnutrition treatment on November 24, 2016. Maria loves to eat apples, oranges, black beans, and scrambled eggs. She lives with her mother and her grandparents in an adobe house with a tin roof. Her mother cleans neighbors' homes to make a living. She cannot afford this $512 treatment. While malnutrition can have devastating effects, it is also very treatable. Growth monitoring, micronutrients, and food supplementation will help Maria recover. She will gain weight and grow taller to catch up with other children her age, and her immune system will grow stronger. Community health workers will teach her mother about creating a nutrient-rich diet from limited resources. Treatment will give Maria a chance to grow healthy and strong.

Chanthou is a 27-year-old farmer who has two sisters and two brothers. He likes to read magazines and watch boxing on TV. In December 2011, Chanthou was robbed. He suffered a gunshot wound to his shoulder blade, which damaged his arteries. As a result, his right arm was paralyzed. After three months of treatment at a hospital in Phnom Penh, movement of his shoulder and flexion of his elbow improved. However, the flexion of his right wrist and fingers remained impaired. When Chanthou learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), he traveled for five hours to seek treatment. On November 2, CSC surgeons performed a tendon repair surgery. After recovery, Chanthou will regain function in his right hand. Now, he needs help to fund this $450 surgery.

Emmarie is an 18-year-old college student who is studying criminology. Her dream is to protect and maintain peace in her country. She believes that serving the country is not only "a man's job," but a "responsibility of all citizens." Watsi's medical partner, International Care Ministries (ICM), describes her as "a woman of courage." Last September, Emmarie began to experience abdominal pain and swelling. For this reason, she began to have difficulty at school, eventually deciding to postpone her education. After undergoing diagnostic testing, Emmarie learned that she had a cyst on her ovary. Without treatment, Emmarie was at risk of the cyst bursting. Fortunately, on December 21, she underwent an ovarian cystectomy to remove the cyst. Emmarie's father works as a driver to provide for the family. He cannot afford this treatment, so ICM is requesting $890 in funding. After recovery, Emmarie plans to continue her education and training to become a policewoman. "When I learned about my condition, I felt downcast," says Emmarie. "I stopped schooling because of the pain I felt, especially during field training...I knew my parents could not afford to pay for treatment." She continues, "I was grateful to learn that I could be helped through your organization, and donors could sponsor my surgery. I give my heartfelt thanks to you in advance. Hopefully, after this surgery, I will live a normal life and return to school."

Kaung is a two-year-old boy who lives with his grandparents in Thailand, and enjoys playing with his toy cars. His grandfather brought him to our medical partner, Burma Border Projects (BBP), seeking treatment for a bilateral talipes equinovarus, more commonly known as bilateral clubfoot. In children with clubfoot, the foot is twisted out of position due to short tendons in the foot and ankle. Approximately half of children with clubfoot have the condition in both feet, as is the case with Kaung. “Kaung cannot walk because of his clubfeet,” BBP tells us. “When he tries to walk, he cries and screams, ‘Pain! Pain!’” Kaung’s parents, who work as gardeners at a rose plantation, live in the same village as Kaung, but they are unable to provide financial support for their son because of debts they must repay. For $1,500 in funding from Watsi and an additional $750 from Burma Children Medical Fund, Kaung will undergo surgery to release the tendons in his feet and ankles. Doctors will then move his feet into the proper position and place them in casts for up to two months. After the casts are removed, Kaung will wear braces for a year or more to maintain the proper position of his feet. “Kaung will be able to walk and run after successful surgery,” says BBP. Funding also pays for pre-surgical consultations and imaging, an eight-day hospital stay, lab work, and pain medicine for Kaung. "I hope that Kaung will get surgery, so he will be able to walk and play as he so much desires,” shares Kaung’s grandfather. “It is very important that he can walk. I want him to go to school, and if he can't walk, it would make his life so much harder for him.”

Kimsan is a 60-year-old man from Cambodia who supports his wife and three children by working in an agricultural position with the government. He enjoys reading the news and jogging after work, activities that he has had to stop doing recently because of his deteriorating eyesight. “Kimsan has been living and working for three months with mature cataracts, and soon they will cause him to stop working,” explains our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre. “He already cannot drive himself and it is getting very hard for him to see at his job.” The doctors at Children’s Surgical Centre can repair his vision for a $150 cataract surgery. Together we can ensure that Kimsan has access to the healthcare he needs so he can see clearly and keep his job!