Holo is a two-month-old girl from the coastal region of Tanzania. She was born with hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain. Holo's family sought help at their nearest hospital, but she did not receive treatment. Finally, they learned about our medical partner's care center, BethanyKids Kijabe Hospital. Holo and her mother made the long journey to Kenya. There, on December 12, a surgeon inserted a shunt to drain the cerebrospinal fluid from her head. Unfortunately, Holo’s family cannot afford to pay for this surgery. Her mother and father are both subsistence farmers. They live in a two-room house. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $685 to fund this procedure. "I am glad to have found a place where Holo can be treated," says her mother. "My only appeal is that you will help fund for her surgery as I have no means."

Maria was born one month ago weighing 5.4 pounds, and she has not gained any weight since birth. Maria's mother cannot produce breastmilk, so Maria is small and malnourished. She often cries from hunger, and her mother uses the only substance she can afford––warm sugar water––to soothe her. This limited diet is insufficient and has dangerous implications for Maria’s health. Lactation failure can lead to starvation and dehydration. It can also provoke electrolyte imbalances that cause seizures. Brain development is compromised, so Maria is at risk of long-term damage. Fortunately, on November 3, 2016, Maria began a treatment program with Watsi's medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq. Lactation failure, while dangerous, is easy to treat. By supplying Maria with formula and her mother with health education, Maria will receive the calories she needs to grow and thrive. One-on-one education with Maria’s mother will teach her how to provide a nutritious, inexpensive diet for her daughter. She will also learn to check for signs of malnutrition and other illness. Maria’s immune system will strengthen, and she will grow up to be a healthy, energetic baby. Maria is the fifth child in her family. Her mother takes of the household, and her brothers look after her. Unfortunately, her family’s limited income puts treatment for Maria outside of their reach. The family needs help to fund this $1,107 intervention. “I am very worried," says Maria's mother, "because when I brought her to the public health center, they told me my daughter was not growing well...We don’t have the resources necessary to be able to buy her milk, and I feel sad because I don’t want to watch my daughter get sick. I want to watch her grow healthy. With your help, I trust that my daughter will get better...I hope that when she is grown she will be a teacher.”