Sovilsal is an 11-year-old boy living with his parents and two younger sisters in Cambodia. He is a hard-working student, and spends his time doing homework and studying. “When I grow up, I want to be a doctor,” he says. He is currently in sixth grade. He also enjoys drawing and watching cartoons. Sovilsal and his mother traveled to our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), for assistance treating his ear problems. Sovilsal began having discharge from his ears when he was three years old. He now additionally has hearing loss and headaches. Upon evaluation, he was found to have perforated tympanic membranes, or eardrums, in both ears. “I can’t hear my teacher while at school because of my bad hearing,” Sovilsal shares. Sovilsal needs a myringoplasty to restore his hearing and resolve his discharge. The myringoplasty procedure will repair the perforation in the tympanic membranes with grafting under anesthesia. Sovilsal’s family needs $598 to fund his procedure along with supplies, two days of inpatient care, and follow up visits. Sovilsal looks forward to recovering from his procedure and resuming his studies without ear troubles. “I hope my son will have better hearing after his operations and his discharge stops,” says Sovilsal’s mother.

14-year-old Rajesh "is the captain of the volleyball team in his village," shares our medical partner, Possible. Recently, he injured himself during a game and fractured his left elbow. Rajesh lives with his parents and younger sisters in Nepal. His family works on a farm, and Rajesh helps out by tending to the cattle and looking after his younger sisters. His father told our medical partner, Possible, that Rajesh is “excellent at sports” and that he hopes that this injury does not affect his mobility. Rajesh needs proper medical treatment and time to heal, but his family cannot afford the $579 fracture treatment he needs. Treatment consists of surgery to align Rajesh’s fractured bones, and casting to ensure proper healing. Let’s help make surgery possible for Rajesh!

Meet Mahendra, an 8-year-old only child from Nepal. Mahendra lives with his parents, who tend a farm to make ends meet at home. “Mahendra first noticed a fluid sac on his leg one and a half years ago,” explains our medical partner, Possible. “As the swelling increased it got painful and made it uncomfortable to even sit or walk. Despite the hydrocele [fluid sac], he has been going to his school and helping at home by looking after the cattle.” $428 will allow Mahendra to have the hydrocele repair surgery he needs. After surgery, he will be able to do all of his activities without any of his current discomfort. “Mahendra is excited to return home and play with his friends,” adds Possible.

This is Praygod, a two-year-old boy from Tanzania. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), shares, “Praygod is a cute, happy, talkative, and very active two-year-old boy. He likes to play with cars as well as running around with other children.” Unfortunately, Praygod has not been in good health, “moving from one hospital to another," AMHF says. Praygod has a congenital digestive malformation called Hirschsprung’s disease. Because of this condition, Praygod “has trouble passing stool. He has had the problem since last year," AMHF explains. "He can stay up to four days without passing stool, and when he does, he cries and he is just helpless.” A portion of Praygod’s colon remains diseased, unable to pass stool because of missing nerve cells or muscle cells. Praygod's mother works as a maid and his father works as a small businessman. Both are currently supporting two other children as well. "Now, his parents just don’t have enough cash to cover the cost of operation which their son badly needs,” AMHF says. $975 in funding will allow Praygod to receive the surgery he needs. A surgeon will remove the diseased section of his colon, provide the necessary medications, and offer him respite during his recovery. AMHF states that after the surgery, “Praygod will be able to pass stool with ease and continue with normal growth.” “Praygod’s mother wishes that her son will get well, have the ability to pass stool without problems, and later on to go to school like his siblings,” shares AMHF.

Osborn is a 21-month-old baby from Uganda, and the youngest of two children. He enjoys playing around and running at home. A few days ago, Osborn burned his chest, abdomen, and hands, and is in a great deal of pain. He can no longer play as he used to. Both of Osborn’s parents work on a farm for income. Our medical partner, The Kellermann Foundation explains, “His parents cannot afford his treatment because their source of income is not steady.” $609 will cover Osborn’s burn treatment. “These burn wounds will be cleaned and dressed every day. Osborn will be saved from the pain he has had for the last three days," the staff at The Kellermann Foundation shares. Osborn’s mother adds: “I look forward to the time when Osborn will play with his older brother."

For six months, Tibisiimwa has experienced on and off swelling in his pelvic region. The swelling becomes more obvious when he coughs or lifts heavy objects. Tibisiimwa is 71 years old and used to work at a game reserve, but has stopped working due to aging and pain from his condition. Currently, he earns income from a small tea farm he keeps. Tibisiimwa has an inguinal hernia, a condition where his small intestine protrudes through his abdominal wall. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), shares, “Tibisiimwa visited a clinic when he was diagnosed with a hernia and was advised to go to surgery, but could not afford to pay for it.” $220 will cover the hernia repair he needs. After surgery, he hopes to get more strength, be happier, and continue taking care of his tea farm. AMHF explains, “We expect that after the treatment, the risk of intestinal incarceration, obstruction, and strangulation would also be eliminated.”

Tek is a 10-year-old boy from Nepal. Recently, Tek slipped and fractured his wrist while drinking water from a tap close to his house. Since the accident, Tek has had trouble moving around and has not been able to do basic activities such as bathing, changing clothes, and getting up out of bed without help from his family. Our medical partner, Possible, shares that it is painful for Tek to use his left hand. Tek has also been unable to go to school since his injury. Tek and his family work hard as farmers, and Tek helps by taking the cattle to graze in the field. With a limited income, Tek's family cannot afford the treatment that would align Tek’s bones correctly. For $579, Tek will receive the treatment and casting that he needs to get back to school and helping his family out in the fields. “I hope that his treatment happens soon so that we can go back home and he is free of pain,” shares Tek’s Uncle. Let's help make Tek's full recovery possible.

Meet Moeun, a 70-year-old man from Cambodia. “Moeun is married with one son, one daughter, and one grandchild. In his free time, he enjoys cleaning the grass around his home and visiting the pagoda to join in ceremonies," shares our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC). One month ago, Moeun developed a mature cataract in his left eye. A cataract occurs when a thin, cloudy layer forms over the eye’s lens. "This causes him blurred vision, discharge, tearing, and fear of bright lights. It is hard for him to see clearly, do work, or go anywhere outside," CSC explains. After learning about CSC, Moeun and his wife travelled two hours to visit their clinic. They learned that a simple surgical procedure may restore Moeun’s sight. With $150, Moeun will undergo cataract surgery, during which his old lens will be removed and replaced with sheer a artificial implant, allowing him to see again immediately after his operation. "I hope my eye can see everything clear again,” shares Moeun. “Then, I can continue my work on the farm, sell sugarcane trees at the market, and get around easier."

Three years ago, 81-year-old Sim from Cambodia contracted cataracts in each of his eyes. According to our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), this causes him blurred vision, tearing, irritation, and cloudy lenses. “He can't see everything clearly, do any work, or go anywhere outside by himself,” shares CSC. Before he lost his eyesight, Sim worked as a rice farmer. Sim is married with 3 sons, 3 daughters, and 10 grandchildren. He enjoys reading the Buddhist text when he is not working on his farm. In Cambodia, 90% of blindness could be avoided through proper treatment. As is in many other developing countries, surgical services are inadequate and cataracts remain the leading cause of blindness. For $225, the cloudy lenses in Sim’s eyes will be replaced with clear ones and he will be able to see again. The operation should take less than an hour. "I hope my eye can see everything clearer than now so I can continue to do my work at the farm and I can do things easier than now like travel anywhere outside by myself," shares Sim.

Mwesige is a 33-year-old father of four who operates a small banana farm with his wife. In his spare time, he enjoys listening to programs on the radio. For the last seven years, he has been living with an inguinal hernia, a painful condition whereby a weakening of the abdominal wall allows the intestines to protrude. The living he makes when he is farming has not been enough to afford the surgery he needs to repair the hernia. He has been trying to treat the pain by taking different herbs, but they are not enough to live comfortably. The pain now keeps him from working and if he does not get medical attention, the hernia can have serious and potentially fatal complications. With $220 in Watsi funding, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), will perform the surgery to fix Mwesige's hernia. Doctors will make an incision in his abdomen to adjust the intestine back into place, and then suture the weakened wall shut. The surgery will allow him to live pain-free. Mwesige looks forward to returning to work and helping his wife once he’s healthy. “My pain is making my wife work alone," he explains. "I wish I could get well and start working together with her.” His plan is to recover and expand the farm to better provide for his family.

“I am shy around my friends and I don’t feel good when I go outside and meet new people,” says Mey, an 11-year-old girl living in Cambodia. Mey was born with esotropia of the left eye, a condition that causes her eye to turn inward. Mey is the middle child in the family and is in first grade. She loves playing with dolls and drawing pictures. Mey traveled 3 hours with her mother to Children's Surgical Centre, a Watsi medical partner, where she heard she could receive treatment free of charge. With a limited income and three children to support, Mey's parents cannot afford the treatment her daughter needs. Strabismus correction surgery for Mey will cost $290. Following a strabismus correction surgery, Mey’s left eye will be aligned correctly. After surgery, Mey's mother hopes her daughter will no longer be shy around other kids due to her condition.