Baluku is a 32-year-old married man from Uganda, and a father of three. He works as a porter for builders. He owns a small piece of land where his wife cultivates food for the family and sell surplus for buying basic items such as sugar, salt, and soap. At the age of seven Baluku developed a small painful swelling in his right inguinal (groin) region. His parents couldn’t afford to take him to the hospital, using herbal medicine instead. After some time, both the swelling and the pain reduced. In 2002 the swelling increased in size and the pain resumed. Baluku visited a hospital and was diagnosed with a right inguinal hernia, a condition where part of his intestine is protruding through his inner groin area. Surgery was advised, but his parents were still unable to pay for his treatment. Due to his hernia, Baluku is currently not working. He is unable to lift building materials or to push items such as sand and cement. Baluku is worried about how his family will survive should anything happen to him. If not treated, the hernia could become stuck leading to damage to the intestine or even the stomach. $249 will cover the costs of the surgery and care Baluku needs. After surgery, he hopes to work hard and start trading in cocoa so that he can buy a bigger piece of land.

Kilion is a two-year-old boy who lives in a remote village in Kenya. In his home area, he does not have access to healthcare facilities, which is why his parents have brought him to Bethany Kids (a Watsi partner hospital) seeking specialized treatment for their son. Kilion has been having abdominal pain, but previously he was too young for his parents to know exactly what was wrong. They took his occasional cries to be normal for a child. But when the cries intensified and Kilion would cry clutching at his stomach, his parents decided to take him to the hospital, where he was diagnosed with undescended testes. The family of nine children, five of whom are from Kilion's father's first wife who passed away, live in a two roomed house. Kilion’s father works as a casual driver while his mother does minimal farming. With the many needs of the family, Kilion's parents are not able to raise funds needed for his surgical care. If not treated, Kilion is at risk of developing testicular cancer or a hernia, and he will be at risk of infertility in the future. Kilion needs surgery to move the undescended testicles into the scrotum and permanently fix them there. The treatment cost is $570. “The pain is too much for my son and it is heartbreaking to see him go through this experience. I will be happy if Kilion gets help and becomes as normal as all his siblings,” said Kilion’s father.

Meet Trevor, a five-year-old boy from Uganda with four older siblings. "When he is feeling well, Trevor enjoys playing soccer and making dolls and toys out of found materials such as sticks, plastic bottles, and bananas," reports our medical partner, The Kellermann Foundation. Trever was diagnosed with an inguinal hernia, or a condition where tissue pushes through the abdominal wall. Due to the hernia, Trevor can only stand for 20 minutes at a time. Trevor is in nursery school and looking forward to primary school next year. His mother works as a farmer to grow food for her family. When money is tight, and she needs to pay her children’s school fees, Trevor’s mother will dig for others. $227 will cover the cost of a hernia repair for Trevor. The Kellermann Foundation shares, “After the surgery, Trevor will be able to play soccer, pain-free.” Trevor’s mother shares, “Thank you to everyone for the help. I am going to pray to God to give more power to help others.”