“Yese is eager to start going to school but his condition won’t let him," his mother shares. Meet Yese, a happy six-year-old who lives with his parents and three siblings in Tanzania. Yese has hydrocephalus—a condition in which a buildup of fluid within the brain leads to an increase in intracranial pressure, causing swelling of the head. Yese was born without any health problems, but this onset condition has affected his vision and mobility. If his hydrocephalus goes untreated, it could lead to brain damage and premature death. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), tells us that Yese “was growing well, he even started to crawl, but close to a year, the size of his head started to increase,” and he stopped crawling and walking. Yese appeared to be recovering by the time he was three years old, but now at age six his symptoms have worsened and AMHF reports, “He cannot walk without support and his vision is blurring.” “Yese is a good storyteller and enjoys singing and listening to the radio,” AMHF shares. Yese’s parents work hard—his mother sells avocados at a local market and his father makes and sells pottery—but their joint income is not enough to support their other children and Yese’s medical bills. With $775 in funding, Yese will undergo surgery to drain the excess fluid from his brain and alleviate the built-up intracranial pressure. Doctors will insert a shunt into Yese’s brain that will redirect the fluid to his abdominal cavity where it can be reabsorbed. This operation will reverse Yese’s symptoms—his vision will return so that he can walk well again. "I hope my son will regain his vision and ability to walk so that he can go to school like other children," his mother adds.

Meet Quedma, a three-year-old girl from Haiti. Our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance (HCA), tells us, “Quedma lives in Haiti with her mother, father, and two older brothers; she is very shy with people outside of her family, but very close to her family and likes spending time with them.” HCA also reports, “Quedma likes to help her mother with cooking, and to dress up for church.” Quedma was born with a cardiac condition called partial anomalous pulmonary vein return, in which “her pulmonary vein does not connect with her heart in the anatomically normal location,” HCA explains. “As a result, blood cannot flow through her heart and body normally, and she is constantly fatigued and sickly.” Quedma needs surgery to redirect her pulmonary vein. However, advanced pediatric cardiac care is difficult to access in Haiti. Quedma’s condition thus requires overseas transportation, which will cost $1,500. Health City Cayman Islands is subsidizing the treatment with a $7,500 donation to cover Quedma’s surgical care. $1,500 in Watsi funding will provide Quedma and a family member with passports, visas, airfare, food and health insurance to make her surgery possible. HCA predicts, “Following surgery, normal blood flow should be restored to Quedma’s heart and through her body, and she should be able to lead a healthy life.” Quedma’s mother says, "When we first learned about Quedma’s problem we felt hopeless because we didn’t think anyone would be able to help her, we are so glad that God answered our prayers!”

"Khaing Aye has been suffering from a cervical polyp for the past six years," Burma Border Projects (BBP) tells us about this active and independent 35-year-old from Burma. "However, social stigma and limited access to resources have prevented her from accessing treatment." With the exception of a younger sister, Khaing Aye doesn't have a big family support network. She works very hard to support herself by cutting trees to sell as firewood or by carrying water. "She currently suffers from headaches, back pain and fatigue," BBP continues of Khaing Aye. "She has tried traditional medicines but never noticed a positive change." Fortunately, with our support, doctors can provide hope for Khaing Aye. With $1500, they will be able to remove the polyp. "After the operation Khaing Aye will no longer feel any physical discomfort or pain, she will be able to go back to work and earn an income," they say. "Although I am very worried about my health I know that I have neighbors who will help take care of me until I have recovered," Khaing Aye says, ever resilient. Let's fund Khaing Aye's care and help her live a normal, healthy life.

“When I am done with my surgery, I would like to continue as a farmer and start going to the pagoda again,” says Sok. Sok is a 76-year-old man from Cambodia with six children and 15 grandchildren. He likes to read religious books about Buddha when he has free time. After being diagnosed with hyper-mature cataracts (the clouding of the lens) in both of his eyes, even his favorite activity has become very difficult for him. “He can’t work and can’t see anything clearly. He barely goes outside because of his poor vision,” explains our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre. Sok’s cataracts may caused partial blindness, but for only $150, we can fund the surgery that will return this man’s sight. If left untreated, he may lose his vision forever. Let’s make sure that doesn't happen!

Tumaini is a smart boy from Tanzania who just completed his primary education in September. He enjoyed learning math, geography, and Swahili. Tumaini dreams of becoming a secondary school teacher when he grows up. This bright boy has knocked knees, a condition that causes his knees to hit as he walks, making it difficult to run or walk fast. Tumaini's father is a hard-working carpenter and his mother sells tomatoes at a local open market. With six children, Tumaini's parents do not earn enough to cover all of their expenses, let alone his medical care. With a surgery, the doctors expect that Tumaini will be able to walk again normally this time with straight limbs. Let's work together to raise the $555 needed for this future teacher's surgery!

Putrea is an active 7th grader living in Cambodia, but a chronic knee condition makes it difficult for him to walk and run. Putrea is the youngest of four children and has experienced several knee dislocations since birth as a result of his condition. In addition to the persistent dislocations, Putrea's condition makes it difficult for him to bend his legs, move around, and keep up with his siblings and classmates. Putrea's condition can be remedied with a muscular surgery but his family cannot afford the cost of the operation. For $300, we can pay for Putrea to have a quadriplasty to prevent further knee dislocations. This operation will alleviate Putrea's chronic leg pain and allow him to run around at home and at school with his siblings and classmates.

Dhauri is a beautiful 18-year-old girl who lives with her parents and siblings in Nepal. Dhauri's family depends on farming to sustain their basic needs. To ensure her younger siblings remain in school, Dhauri has put her own education on pause to work alongside her parents and earn extra income. Recently, Dhauri developed a painful earache and started losing her hearing. The medical team at Nyaya Health discovered a tear in her eardrum that is causing her hearing loss. They're proposing a surgery to repair her eardrum and prevent Dhauri from going permanently deaf. Although Dhauri's parents want the best for their daughter, they cannot afford the surgery she needs. The cost of transportation to an urban center where she can receive care alone is prohibitive. For $1,285, we can fund Dhauri's transportation, lodging, and medical costs to help her regain her hearing!