Josh is a three-year-old child who lives in a house made of bamboo and wood with his family. He loves playing basketball with his friends. Josh has been diagnosed with severe acute malnutrition. Malnutrition threatens his growth and development and could even be fatal if not addressed. Fortunately, he will begin $268 malnutrition treatment on February 23. Josh will be treated by International Care Ministries (ICM), a Watsi medical partner. One out of five children under five in ICM communities is either severely or moderately malnourished. Worldwide, poor nutrition is associated with nearly half of all deaths in young children. In remote communities and urban slums of the Philippines, the lack of clean water and unclean environments add risk to potentially fatal childhood diseases. ICM’s home-based feeding program provides nutrient-enriched food packs to ensure malnourished children get additional food to regain normal weight and achieve optimum physical and mental development. After identifying a child as malnourished, staff and community volunteers make weekly visits to monitor this child’s progress. To help sustain the health of the child, ICM’s professional staff educate the mother, guardian, or other family members about proper nutrition, sanitation, hygiene, and organic vegetable gardening. After this program, Josh will have the proper nutrients to grow happy and healthy.

Moh Zin is a 19-year-old student from Burma. She was recently diagnosed with acquired hydrocephalus, a condition in which fluid builds up in the brain. With help from Watsi, Moh Zin underwent a [shunt insertion](https://watsi.org/profile/befae6021651-moh-zin), during which doctors inserted a device to drain the fluid from her brain. Prior to her surgery, Moh Zin experienced difficulty urinating and was unable to walk without assistance. She also experienced headaches that made it hard for her to sleep at night. However, after surgery, Moh Zin has been able to walk on her own and is no longer experiencing headaches, enabling her to sleep better. She is also enjoying an increased appetite. Her brother is elated to see his sister in better condition! To check whether the shunt is working properly, Moh Zin's doctor has requested a CT scan. The result of the scan will determine whether she will need another surgery. Moh Zin will be receiving the scan at our medical partner's care center, Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital, on January 16. Our medical partner is asking for $693 to fund Moh Zin's CT scan and hospital stay fees. "I am very happy to see my sister improving," says Moh Zin's brother. "I can't wait to know if she needs more treatment. We are very excited to go home."

Athumani is a newborn from Tanzania. He is the second-born of twins. Soon after his birth, Athumani's mother noticed that her son had an abnormal back. After visiting a government hospital, she was referred to a Watsi medical partner hospital, Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre (ALMC). There, she learned that Athumani has myelomeningocele and hydrocephalus. Essentially, part of Athumani's back did not develop properly, and his spinal cord was exposed. He was at risk of infections or spinal cord damage. He needed surgery to repair his back. ALMC doctors began treating Athumani on October 17, 2016. His treatment plan includes a myelomeningocele and hydrocephalus repair to restore spine function and prevent further infection. Unfortunately, Athumani's parents have no means to pay for this treatment. They are farmers who plant maize and beans. They need help to cover his $1,200 treatment, which includes Athumani's surgery, hospital stay, and medications.

Leonardo is a 23-month-old boy from Guatemala. He is frequently ill, and he has not learned many words. His mother is worried because he has not been growing as well as other children. Leonardo has been diagnosed with acute malnutrition. This means he has little energy to grow, and his immune system is weak and vulnerable to illness. He is also at risk of chronic disease and delayed development. Fortunately, he began malnutrition treatment on November 24, 2016. Leonardo and his family share a one-room adobe house with a tin roof. They live in a rural mountainous community in Guatemala. Leonardo loves to eat carrots and bananas. His mother works at home, cooking, cleaning, and collecting firewood. His father works as a day laborer on a local plantation. 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 Leonardo recover. He will gain weight and grow taller to catch up with other children his age, and his immune system will grow stronger. Community health workers will teach his mother about creating a nutrient-rich diet from limited resources. Treatment will give Leonardo a chance to grow healthy and strong. "We are so appreciative of the support, so our son can grow better," says Leonardo's mother. "I hope that in the future, he can become a professional and have better opportunities than we did."

Yoeun is a 51-year-old rice and crop farmer from Cambodia. She is married with two sons, three daughters, and three grandchildren. Yoeun likes to go to the pagoda to listen to monks pray. She also likes to listen to the news and monks pray on the radio. Yoeun heard about Children's Surgical Centre (CSC) from her aunt. She traveled for three hours with her aunt to reach CSC for treatment. Yoeun developed a cataract in each eye about five months ago causing her blurred vision. It is difficult for her to see things clearly, do any work, and go anywhere on her own. For $292, Yoeun will undergo cataract surgery in both eyes. After surgery, Yoeun will be able to see clearly again. Yoeun says, "I hope I can see everything more clear than now so that I can continue my work as a farmer just like before and go to the fields easily. I hope to be able to go anywhere outside by myself without needing to disturb others." Yoeun's aunt says, "I hope my niece can see better than now so that I don't have to worry about her vision loss anymore."

Dazen is am 81-year-old farmer from a village in Malawi's Central Region. When he isn't farming, Dazen likes chatting with his children and grandchildren. For the past year, Dazen has had pain due to an enlarged prostate caused from a benign condition that is easily treated surgically. He has been unable to access treatment until now, as the waitlist at the public hospital is extremely long. $726 will fund the prostate resection surgery Dazen needs to get healthy. Dazen and his family are excited for his surgery and for him to return home.

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.

10-year-old Robe, a boy from Ethiopia, was born with a birth defect of the urethra called hypospadias. That means the male urinary opening is not at the usual location on the head of the penis. Robe’s opening is away from the head of the penis. As a result of this he can’t urinate standing as any other boys. This condition affects him and his parents psychologically. They are worried about their son's condition. Robe parents live 300 kilometers from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. His parents are poor farmers who are affected by the 2015, drought of El Nino weather phenomenon for about seven years now. They are now suffering severe poverty and they even get their food from government and other concerned bodies. And for this reason they can’t pay the medical bill. For $1155, Robe will undergo surgery to correct his hypospadias, allowing him to urinate properly and increasing his self-esteem.

"Fredrick is a playful, four-year-old boy from Nairobi. He lives with his parents. His mother is a tailor while his father works as a shop attendant," reports our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). "The family lives in a single rental house on a larger urban estate. Due to their low income base, Fredrick's father supplements their income by selling fruits within their estate." "Fredrick is a playful boy but due to poor sound perception, he is not able to communicate as efficiently as any other 4 year old child," continues AMHF. "He had fluid-like discharge from his ears in December 2015, prompting his parents to bring him to our facility. The doctor advised Fredrick’s mother to get hearing aids." Fredrick's ear drainage is caused by a perforated left ear drum, a condition known as otorrhea. "If not assisted with the hearing aids, Fredrick may have poor performance academically and even socially as he grows up," explains AMHF. With $208, Fredrick can receive proper hearing aids to prevent further damage and allow progression of his development. Fredrick’s mother shares, “I want my child to have the hearing aids and be able to lead a normal life."

Meet Willy, a 54-year-old man from Kenya who is a father and primary school teacher. He had also been the primary provider for his parents, especially funding their treatment costs as they are sickly. Willy's wife operates a small grocery shop from which she gets a low income. Willy had cardiac complications in November 2015 and had to stop teaching. In February 2016, Willy was taken to a general hospital and had a CT scan and an MRI on his head that indicated he has a pituitary tumor. He was referred to Kijabe Hospital and was scheduled for surgery to remove the tumor. He is therefore appealing for Watsi's financial assistance so that he can undergo this surgery. Willy experiences painful head migraines. He previously had a stroke and his memory has been failing consistently, and his vision has been partially impaired too. Since February 2016, Willy has had poor vision and memory loss. He thus cannot do any work or communicate well. With the stroke affecting him, his state has been affected adversely. Willy needs a craniotomy to remove the tumor, which costs $1,205. If not treated, Willy risks having total memory loss, the head migraines will persist and there is risk of the tumor increasing. He may also become totally blind. Allan, Willy's son said: “I want my dad to be well again and to continue providing for our family.”

“I am a sports enthusiast,” shares Lokendra. “I love playing football and volleyball the most. In my village, my friends and I have made a team, and we play every evening.” Lokendra is a 14-year-old boy living in Nepal with his mother, younger brother, and younger sister. Lokendra’s father resides and works in a restaurant in India. According to our medical partner, Possible, “Lokendra helps cook the evening meal, graze the cattle, and collects fodder for the livestock.” “Lokendra was climbing a tree on his way to school when he lost his balance,” Possible explains. “He then fractured a bone in his left forearm.” His injury is so painful, Possible continues, that Lokendra needs help doing daily tasks and "cannot go to school anymore because of the injury." It also prevents him from spending time with his friends playing sports. $579 covers the cost of an orthopedic repair for Lokendra’s fracture. "Lokendra's fractured bones will be aligned and secured with the help of pins," Possible details. "The area of injury will then be plastered to prevent the movement of bones." Treatment and proper recovery will allow Lokendra to move about and return to all of the activities that he could do before his injury.

Jordy is a four-year-old boy who “nearly constantly smiles and laughs,” shares our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance (HCA). He is very attached to his mother, and his father is a church minister. “Jordy was born with a cardiac condition called patent ductus arteriosus, in which a hole in the heart which normally closes shortly after birth remains open. Blood leaks through this hole without passing through the lungs to obtain oxygen, leaving him sickly and weak,” explains HCA. The Haiti Cardiac Alliance transports patients to overseas locations to receive heart surgical procedures that are not readily accessible in Haiti. In this case, Jordy will be transported to the Cayman Islands for his treatment. $1,500 funds treatment that will restore normal blood flow to Jordy’s heart and prevent further cardiac symptoms. An additional $5,000 to fund the treatment is being subsidized by Health City Cayman Islands. In the words of Jordy’s mother, “I am excited for Jordy to have more energy and to be healthier after his surgery is finished.”