John is a motorcycle taxi operator from Kenya. He's a 31-year-old man from an area called Zimmerman in Nairobi County and the second born in a family of four. John went to school up through high school, but since his family could not afford to send him to college, he learnt how to ride a motorbike and started hustling in Zimmerman to sustain himself. John told us that he was just planning for his future and to get married when the worst happened. On Saturday Dec. 12th, when a client sent him to carry some luggage, on the way he was hit by a vehicle. He sustained an open fracture of his right femur. Luckily he was brought to Nazareth Hospital and was admitted for care. He is not able to move his leg and the surgeon recommends an open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) surgery to heal his fracture. Since John had to borrow funds for his admission fee, he does not have a way to pay for the surgery he needs. He has requested support and is concerned if he is not treated soon he could develop a bone infection which will delay healing and cause him more complications. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On December 15th, John will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. The surgery will help him walk easily again. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,049 to fund this procedure. “My family members are not able to support me for this surgery and am afraid to see my bones. I kindly ask for help so that I can be able to walk again, go back to my job, and start planning for my future family,” said John.

Grace is a 6-year-old girl from Tanzania. She is the firstborn child in a family of two children. Grace's parents depend on small scale farming for their living, and sell milk from the cows that they own. Last year, Grace was left in her family's hut when her mother went out to milk one of their cows. Normally, Grace would accompany her mother, but because it was raining, her mother asked her to keep herself warm by the fire. As she was warming herself, Grace's clothing caught on fire, and she sustained burns on her left hand and arm. Her wounds have since healed, but her hand is now deformed and she is unable to use it in life's daily activities. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Grace receive treatment. On November 13th, surgeons at their care center will perform a burn contracture release surgery to help restore her ability to use her hand easily. Now, she needs help to fund this $874 procedure. Grace’s father shared, “The fire accident has left our daughter disabled. Please help correct her hand so that she can be able to use both of her hands and return to normal life.”

Johnelson is a young boy from Kenya. His mother brought him and his sister to Nandi County, Kenya, to live with his grandmother while she looked for work. In August 2020, while at home playing with other children in the kitchen area, Johnelson accidentally fell in the three stone firewood cooking stove where his grandmother had just removed boiling water and left the fire to cool. Having fallen with the back of his head first in the fire, Johnelson was unable to pull himself out. Hearing Johnelson's playmates' cries, his grandmother rushed back from helping a local medical practitioner who was attending Johnelson’s sick grandfather. Johnelson suffered severe scalp burns. Though she was advised to take him to the hospital, his grandmother was not able to raise the funds required to take him to the hospital for care. One month later, after talking to friends and some relatives, she took him to a nearby facility. She had not yet informed Johnelson's mother, fearing she would be angry. Upon arrival, Johnelson was admitted for a few days for washing and dressing to reduce the risk of infection as the wounds were in a bad state. A few weeks later, during the burial of his grandfather, Johnelson’s mother and other relatives learnt about his worsened condition. His mother brought him to Watsi's Medical Partner's Care Center Kijabe Hospital, where the doctor examined him and recommended a debridement and skin grafting surgery to be performed on the back of his head. Without treatment, he will remain in constant pain and his wounds may become infected. Johnelson's surgery is a large financial burden for his family and they are unable to personally raise the amount needed to fund the procedure. His mother mostly does laundry for people. When she can’t find work, she does any other work she comes across to support her mother and her two children. Johnelson’s grandmother is a farmer and relies on the produce she gets from the farm and from Johnelson’s mother. They are appealing for financial help. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Johnelson receive treatment. On October 19th, surgeons will perform a debridement and skin graft procedure on his scalp. This will help limit the risk of wound infection. Now, Johnelson needs help to fund this $1,185 procedure. Johnelson’s mother says, “Having to take care of my son in this condition, it really pains me to know that I cannot do anything for him to get the required treatment. Any financial help will be very much appreciated.”

Jackson is an 8-year-old student from Tanzania. He has been living with his grandmother since he was 2 years old as his mother and father separated and neither could care for him. His aunt describes Jackson as a very friendly and playful boy. He used to be a very active boy, always friendly, and hardworking. He would help his grandmother with home chores when he was not at school. He was in class one at school but unfortunately, his studies had to stop after he started losing consciousness and falling most of the time when at school. Jackson has been diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain and increases intracranial pressure. As a result of his condition, Jackson has been experiencing dizziness and he would lose consciousness and fall at school. He now cannot walk or stand and is often asleep. Without treatment, Jackson will experience severe physical and developmental delays. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $765 to cover the cost of surgery for Jackson that will treat his hydrocephalus. The procedure is scheduled to take place on September 16th and will drain the excess fluid from Jackson's brain. This will reduce intracranial pressure and greatly improve his quality of life. With proper treatment, Jackson will hopefully continue to develop into a strong, healthy young boy. Jackson’s aunt told us, “We all wish Jackson to get this needed treatment so that he can get back to his old normal self and hopeful resume school again.”

Ye lives with his wife and daughter on the Thai-Burma border. He used to work as a carpenter but had to stop working two years ago when his health deteriorated. His wife is a homemaker and his daughter works as a vendor selling mobile phones. Her monthly income of 10,000 baht (approx. 335 USD) is just enough to cover their family's daily needs. In the beginning of 2018, Ye started to experience swelling in his hands and feet, pain in his lower back, and difficulty passing urine. At first he thought that it was caused by overworking and would disappear over time. Six months later, when he still felt unwell, Ye finally decided to go see a doctor. He went to Mae Sot Hospital (MSH) where the doctor conducted tests and concluded that he had high blood pressure. The doctor also sent him to another hospital for an ultrasound because at that time the ultrasound machine was broken at MSH. When Ye returned to MSH with his ultrasound results, the doctor diagnosed him with stones in both of his kidneys. He was told to drink lots of water and was provided with oral medication. When Ye returned for his follow-up appointment, he received another ultrasound and more oral medication. As his condition went on, he received a catheter in both of his kidneys while admitted at the hospital. Ye kept returning regularly for his follow-up appointments. Up until 2020, he had the catheter replaced a number of times and also asked the doctor twice if he could receive surgery. However, both times the doctor told him that he would have to wait because there were too many patients on the waiting list. Eventually in the beginning of 2020, Ye was scheduled to receive surgery. When he was admitted in the middle of March 2020, he first received treatment for a urinary tract infection before he received surgery to remove the stone from his right kidney. After surgery, Ye had difficulty breathing and was placed in the intensive care unit for four days. By the time he was discharged, he was left with a 127,000 baht (approx. 4,233 USD) hospital bill. Ye paid what he could by selling all their jewelry and using up their saving. However, most of his bill was paid by borrowing money from his relatives in Burma. Before he was discharged, the doctor told him that he will need to receive laser treatment to breakup the stone in his left kidney. However, if the procedure was not successful he would need surgery to remove the stone. His daughter was no longer able to pay for his laser treatment so a nurse at MSH told him to ask for help at Mae Tao Clinic (MTC). When Ye went to the clinic and told the medic that they cannot afford to pay for his laser treatment, the medic referred him to Watsi's Medical Partner Burma Children Medical Fund for assistance accessing further treatment and we now are raising $1500 to support his care. “I am very depressed, and I feel stressed about my health condition. I have used up all my savings for my treatment. Now I have to rely on my daughter’s income and I feel really feel bad as she works hard," said Ye.

Vin is a five-year-old child from Cambodia. She is the oldest of three children. Her mother works in a factory, and her father is a farmer. She has not yet started school but she loves to paint at home and help her mother cook. She also helps taking care of her younger siblings. Since birth, Vin has had nevus, or mole, on her cheek. It has grown larger as time has passed. As it grows bigger, it could start to cause further complications. She also experiences difficulty socializing with other children because of her condition. When Vin's family learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, they traveled for four hours seeking treatment. On July 9th, surgeons at Children's Surgical Centre will perform a skin flap procedure to to replace the skin of the nevus with healthy skin. Now, she needs help to fund this $657 procedure. Vin's mother shared, "I hope that after this surgery, she will look healthy and normal, and will not have any more problems."

Joyce is the oldest of three siblings and likes helping her mother do household chores at home. She also has a green thumb and enjoys helping her father on his farm. She is in seventh grade and her favorite subject is English. Joyce dreams of being a future doctor. In June of 2019, Joyce's family noticed an unusual curving of her spine. Currently, Joyce has trouble balancing while she walks and has experienced lower self-esteem. Surgery will correct the curve in her spine, improve her confidence, and enable her to continue her education and achieve her aspiration of becoming a doctor. Joyce's family has raised funds for half of the cost of her surgery with the help of friends and well-wishers. They are asking for Watsi's support to cover the remaining cost of their daughter's surgery. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,500 to cover the remaining cost of her surgery and care. “My joy would be to get treated so that I can continue with my studies without needing to hide my back,” Joyce shared. Her parents also expressed, “We are pleading for support so that our daughter can undergo surgery and continue with her normal life like other children.”

Harrison is an elderly man from the Rift Valley in Kenya. For the last two years, his hearing has gradually deteriorated, making him struggle with communication. He had been to a different hospital previously and was given hearing drops. However, his hearing did not improve and he has now sought treatment at Watsi's Medical Partner Care Center Kijabe Hospital. The audiologist recommended hearing aids for him which would improve his hearing and communication ability. Harrison is a father of 12, who have all made their own families too. His eldest son supports him and his wife from time to time. Harrison used to work in his farm but no longer does due to his older age. Because of ongoing flooding in his area, Harrison and his neighbors have been evicted from their houses as a nearby lake continues to swell. They did not get any compensation and his children are now paying for his single-roomed rental space. He is not able to meet the entire cost of hearing aids and appeals for help. Harrison shared, “I will be delighted to hear with better clarity than I am currently.”

Grayson is a 18 month old baby from Kenya and the second born of two children. He lives with his parents and elder sister in a one-room house near Nairobi. His mother is a full-time mom while his father is employed casually as an electrician. With a very limited income, Grayson’s father can only raise $50 for his treatment which is not enough to cover the surgery needed. Grayson was diagnosed with cryptorchidism, a condition in which both of the testicles remains undescended. If left untreated, Grayson has an increased risk of developing hernias, testicular cancer, and fertility problems in the future. Grayson will be receiving assistance from our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). Fortunately, he is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on February 21st. AMHF is requesting $542 to support the cost of his procedure and care. “Please help us raise the funds needed,” says Grayson’s mother.

Grace is a 3-year-old from Tanzania, and the first born child in a family of two with a single mother. Grace and her sibling are being raised by their grandmother after their mother asked their grandmother to help her look after the children so that she can be able to find a job and be able to support the children. Ever since she left Grace and her sibling, she rarely visits the children and sends money once in awhile. Her grandmother has no source of income other than small-scale farming. Grace's grandfather has been bed ridden for almost a year now. Grace was diagnosed with windswept deformity, which causes her legs to be curved. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, which often stems from contaminated drinking water. As a result, she has a difficult time walking and playing with her sibling. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $838 to fund corrective surgery for Grace. The procedure is scheduled to take place on March 10th. Treatment will hopefully restore Grace's mobility, allow her to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease her risk of future complications. Grace’s grandmother says, “My granddaughter’s legs are getting worse as days go by but I don’t have the money to seek her treatment. Please help her.”

Duncan is a 30-year-old man who is the 3rd and last born in his family from Rita Village, Kathiani, Machakos County. Duncan completed his studies last year at Kenya College of Accountancy (KCA). His passion is to become a competent accountant and work in government offices. While on his daily routine and walking through town dropping his CV, he suffered an accident on the road and the vehicle that knocked him sped off. He was taken to Kenyatta National Hospital where he underwent multiple surgeries. Due to financial constraints, he was discharged without further interventions. He currently uses a wheelchair to get around, a condition which I making him live an uncomfortable life--a life he had not even imagined or thought he would have. Duncan came to Watsi Medical Partner's care center CURE Hospital this month and was scheduled to undergo 3 different surgeries: Rt distal femur, Rt proximal tibia, and Orif of Rt distal humerus. The family is in dire need of help for surgery to take place. They have gone to different places seeking for help but they haven’t received any. Watsi's partner met Duncan at a clinic in the Machakos area and he asked for help. “I am pleading for support from well-wishers to help me undergo surgery and resume my normal life,” Duncan told us.

Mary is a peasant farmer from Kenya. Three years ago, she felt a painless lump on her left breast which was dismissed as a fatty lump at a local clinic. In 2018, the lump became painful and she sought medical care. She was still advised to wait. However, in 2019, she sought treatment from a different hospital. She had a biopsy done and cancer was suspected. She came to our facility where an x-ray was done and surgery recommended. Mary and her husband tend to their small farm to eke out a living. The mother of 4 children does not have any medical insurance and was not able to raise the funds required in the previous facility. Her children are not in any employment making it hard to consolidate funds needed. Mary has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Without treatment, the cancer may spread to other organs. A mastectomy, a surgery to remove breast tissue, has been suggested to rid her body of breast cancer and to prevent the cancer from metastasizing. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $816 to cover the cost of a mastectomy for Mary. The procedure is scheduled to take place on January 3rd. After treatment, Mary will hopefully return to a cancer-free life. Mary says, “My hope is to have the cancer treated so that I continue providing for my family.”