Sareach is a fourth grader from Cambodia. He is the eldest of three brothers. He likes to study literature and eat fried rice with pork. He enjoys playing football with friends after school. Four months ago, Sareach developed a cataract in his left eye, causing him blurry vision and pain. He has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, and going anywhere outside. When Sareach learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for one hour seeking treatment. On June 14, doctors will perform a lens aspiration operation and an intraocular lens implant in his left eye. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. Now, he needs help to fund this $211 procedure. His grandma says, "I worry about my grandson's eye very much. He can't see well and has difficulty at school because of his vision."

Vath is a farmer and mother of six. She has five grandchildren, who she enjoys teaching. She also likes tending to her mango and banana trees. Two months ago, she fell down while working and dislocated her elbow. Her elbow has been stiff and has caused chronic pain every since her fall. She needs to have a reduction procedure to fix her elbow. Fortunately, she will undergo surgery at our medical partner's care center on February 8. She needs help raising $390 to pay for surgery. She says, "I am looking forward to going home and spending time with my family after surgery."

Leydi is a 6-month-old girl from Guatemala. Previously, Watsi donors funded her formula supplementation when her mother could not produce breastmilk. Unfortunately, now that she is older, her family cannot afford to give her a nutritious diet filled with protein, calories, and nutrients. She has not been gaining weight or growing, and she is underweight for her age. Leydi 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. Leydi lives with her family in a one-room adobe house with a tin roof. They own a small plot of land, on which they cultivate broccoli, green beans, and peas. Her father works tending the land, while her mother cooks, cleans, and takes care of Leydi. Even though they want the best for their daughter, they cannot afford this $512 treatment. While malnutrition can have devastating effects, it is also very treatable. Growth monitoring, micronutrients, and food supplementation will help Leydi 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 Leydi a chance to grow healthy and strong.

Phanny is a two-year-old boy who lives with his family in Cambodia. He spends his time at home being looked after by his mom, and he enjoys playing around his house. When Phanny was only one week old, he received poorly administered injections in his thighs. As a result, he developed quadriceps fibrosis in both legs, making his legs stiff and unable to bend. He cannot walk easily. Phanny traveled three hours with his mom to reach Watsi's medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), for treatment. Surgeons at CSC will perform a quadricepsplasty surgery on each thigh to release the contracted muscle and allow his leg to bend freely. Phanny will undergo surgery on the left side first. $378 covers the costs of surgery as well as two weeks of hospital care, five days of post-operative care, and four follow-up appointments during the first year after surgery. Phanny's mother looks forward to a successful surgery for her son. She hopes he can walk normally and be free of pain, and she wants him to study English when he grows up.

“Jesica loves to play with stuffed animals,” says our medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq (WK). “She has one that was given to her by her mother that she likes the best.” This 14-month-old baby girl lives with her parents and older brother in a rural village in Guatemala. Jesica is acutely malnourished. With a nutrient-poor diet, Jesica is below the average height and weight for her age. “Jesica is showing signs of developmental delays--at 14 months, she still cannot say one word,” WK explains. “Although she cannot talk yet, Jessica likes to imitate her mother singing with little sounds. She will even move her hands to ‘dance’ to the music.” “Her energy is low and without intervention she will be at risk for the long-term effects of malnutrition,” continues WK. “She is frequently ill and her parents do not have the money to afford any sort of medical care.” Due to limited access to education and healthy food, acute malnutrition is a prevalent issue in Guatemala. 86% of malnutrition cases in Guatemala involve patients living in rural villages, such as Jesica’s. For $512, Jesica will receive three months of nutritional therapy. Micronutrient-rich food supplements will be added to her diet in order to boost her nutrition levels. To protect her against infection during her treatment, doctors will also provide her with deworming medication. As education is crucial to preventing malnutrition, Jesica’s mother will participate in an intensive nutrition course to gain the skills and confidence to care for the nutritional needs of both Jesica and her brother. “We anticipate over time Jesica’s immune system will improve and we will see great positive changes in her overall health and energy,” WK concludes. Jesica’s mother shares, “We are so thankful for the support you want to give us, and are so grateful for the food you want to give our family. With your help I know my Jesica will recover soon.”

Mayra is a one-month-old infant from Guatemala, and the youngest of five children. "Her mother wants what is best for her daughter and four other children, but currently is struggling both financially and emotionally because she is trying to care for her five children on her own," says our medical partner, Wuqu' Kawoq (WK). Mayra’s mother left her husband a couple of weeks before Mayra was born due to domestic abuse. "She believes this stress caused her milk to disappear, and when Mayra was two weeks old, her mother could no longer produce any breast milk," says WK. With four mouths to feed, the mother could not afford formula for her youngest daughter and instead has resorted to feeding her baby with water with honey. "Now, Mayra's weight is decreasing and if she does not receive treatment she will not recover," continues WK. "She will be unable to build an immune system or develop normally both mentally and physically due to lack of nutrients and calories." With $1,016, Mayra will be provided with one year worth of formula. Additionally, WK will provide her mother with intensive nutrition education. Educators will coach Mayra's mother through the process of switching Mayra to solid foods when the time comes. Moreover, if Mayra gets sick while enrolled in the program, the doctors will be there to treat her illness without her family needing to stress about money or medical attention. “I want Mayra to grow well...she is still so small that I think we can change this for her,” shares Mayra’s mother. "I want to have a new life with her, one without her father, and to fight for a better life for my five children.”

“Sometimes my daughter asks me what’s wrong with her arm and I feel so upset. I don’t know what to say,” says the mother of Hnin, a five-year-old girl from Burma suffering from a contracture of her arm. Normally elastic, the muscles in Hnin’s index finger, wrist and elbow have become tight and rigid—making it impossible for Hnin to bend her arm properly. It is difficult for her to perform everyday activities like getting dressed or playing with friends. Our medical partner, Burma Border Projects (BBP), explains: The contractures are an unexpected side effect of a previous operation Hnin underwent when she was just a few months old, in which doctors made “an incision from underneath her armpit to the tip of her index finger” to reduce intense swelling of Hnin’s arm. As an active child who wants to attend school, “Hnin follows the other children to school and stands outside looking in. Sometimes my daughter’s friends ask her what happened to her arm, and they play doctors, pretending to cut the contraction,” shares BBP. Hnin’s mother and father work as agricultural day laborers, farming corn and beans. They were forced to work full-time to cover the expenses associated with Hnin’s previous surgery, so Hnin lives with her grandmother. “However, their work is irregular and the family earns enough to cover daily expenses, but they don’t have savings or money to pay for Hnin’s healthcare,” adds BBP. After borrowing money for Hnin’s previous surgery at 20% interest, “the interest quickly accumulated and the couple had trouble paying it off.” With the support of Hnin’s make-believe doctor pals, Watsi donors, and physicians at BBP’s Mae Tao Clinic in Thailand, Hnin’s treatment and recovery can be made possible. $1,500 in Watsi funding, along with $1,585 in subsidies from BBP, will cover a contracture release surgery for Hnin, in which doctors will make incisions in her arm to remove the abnormal tissue. BBP predicts, “Following treatment it is hoped that Hnin will have full use of her arm and will then be able to attend school in Burma with her friends.” Her mother is looking forward to moving back to Burma to live with her daughter as soon as possible. Let’s help this adorable five-year-old regain use of her arm so she can live a normal childhood!

“We have a difficult time in our family,” shares 10-year-old Pauni’s uncle. “We cannot afford the treatment for Pauni.” Pauni is a third grade student who lives in Nepal with her extended family. She loves Nepali language classes, and playing skipping games with her friends during recess. Recently, however, she has had to miss school due to a fracture in her left elbow. “Pauni was playing with her friends on the trunk of a fallen tree when she slipped and tumbled over and hurt her left elbow,” report our partners at Possible. “She developed pain and swelling in the elbow and couldn’t move her arm. She has not been able to perform simple activities since.” Pauni’s family works in local agriculture, but only makes enough to support the family for two months out of the year. To compensate, her father goes to work as a wage laborer in towns in India to earn money for the family; the wages he earns are not enough to cover surgery for his daughter's elbow. For $205, we can fund fracture repair surgery for Pauni that will restore her mobility and prevent future complications. Let’s help Pauni resume her studies and get back to playing with her friends!

“I wish the outcome of the treatment to be very good for the baby. May God watch over him. I am looking forward to going back home with David with good news for the mother,” David’s family member says. David is a sweet one-year-old form Haiti who was born with hydrocephalus, causing enlarged head size, intra cranial pressure, and sun setting eyes. If left untreated, this condition can lead to brain damage, a loss of mental and physical abilities, and even death. David is the first born of a young mother who still lives with and is supported her family. The family does not have the means to afford the treatment David needs. We can fund a successful treatment for $1,260. “David has very high chances to be healed from the hydrocephalus. The doctors will operate on him to drain the excess fluid in his head and prevent his head from getting larger,” report our medical partner, Project Medishare. Let’s support David and his family!

"Karla is a little baby who is not growing well," Wuqu' Kawoq' (WK) tells us about this newborn girl from Guatemala. "Her mother had a very hard delivery, and as a result of the physical shock never really produced a significant amount of milk. As a result, Karla doesn't have enough to eat. She has been losing weight, especially in the last few months." "Karla's mom has been very attentive to her child's needs but she is increasingly powerless as she is seeing her milk supply dry up more and more each day," WK continues. "Milk formula is very expensive, and she doesn't have the money required to pay for this. She's been forced to give Karla gruel and broths as a substitute, even though she knows this is not ideal for encouraging growth. She's come to us hoping that we can help." With $1220, the WK team will be able to provide Karla with the personalized care she needs right now. "With adequate milk formula supplementation and growth supervision, we expect that Karla will regain all of the ground that she has lost and will go on to grow normally and have normal cognitive function," they write. Karla's mother has placed faith in WK and Watsi's ability to help her baby girl out. Let's fund her care!

Ashton is a three-week-old baby from Uganda. He has a lung infection right now and has had to be placed on supplemental oxygen to support as a result. "The infection causes him to have a cough, fever, and runny nose," The Kellermann Foundation (KF) tells us. "Breathing has become very difficult for him and the infection is also causing him to vomit." Luckily is being cared for by his loving and attentive mother Sharron. "When his bright personality began to dampen she knew he needed to go to the hospital," KF tells us about her. "Sharron walked an hour and a half to the hospital because her family cannot afford the four dollars it would require for her and Aston to get transport on a motorcycle." The KF team has recommended treatment which would continue the supplemental oxygen and include fluids and antibiotics. This regimen would run at $225 and clinicians expect Ashton to make a full recovery. "I hope my son will benefit from the treatment so we can go back home" says Sharron. With an equipped medical partner and loving and supportive mom, Ashton is well on his way to beating his infection. Now all we need to do is fund his care to make this a reality.