Bagonza is a 34-year-old married father of five children who lives in Uganda. He and his wife are farmers. However, in the past two years, he has been incapable of farming due to pain from an inguinal hernia. An inguinal hernia is a protrusion of the intestines through a weak region in the abdominal muscles. Its presence makes coughing, bending at the waist, or lifting heavy objects very painful. Bagonza first began experiencing pain and swelling from the hernia ten years ago. He says he lived with this condition for so long because he lacked money for treatment. Due to the pain, he became unable to lift heavy items, dig, or do any straining. His wife was the only one supporting the family, and she did not earn enough money to pay their children's school fees. Bagonza came to our medical partner's care center, Holy Family Virika Hospital, after encouragement from a friend who knew about Watsi. At the hospital, he was diagnosed with a reducible right inguinal hernia and was advised to have surgery. Without treatment, he was at risk of strangulation of the hernia, which might result in loss of life. On November 30, Bagonza underwent hernia repair surgery. During the surgery, the doctor pushed the protruding tissue back into the abdomen and sewed together the weakened muscle with a synthetic mesh. Over time, muscle tissue will grow into and around the mesh to strengthen the area. Watsi's medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $249 to fund this procedure. Funding for Bagonza also covers the costs of a three-day hospital stay, pain medicine, antibiotics, and blood tests. After surgery, Bagonza hopes to work hard and put his children back in school.

Meet Sokhom, a 52-year-old farmer from Cambodia. A mother of two sons and one daughter, Sokhom spends her free time cleaning her house and taking care of her children. When she was a child herself—only 10 years old—Sokhom developed an infection in her right ear. This caused her to develop a hole in her right eardrum. Since then, Sokhom has experienced discharge, pain, and hearing loss. Because of the symptoms, it is difficult for her to make out other people’s speech, including that of her children. Sokhom traveled two hours with her sister to reach the Children’s Surgical Centre where she was relieved to learn that her condition can be substantially improved with a myringoplasty, a procedure where doctors will repair her perforated eardrum and treat the infection. After surgery, her discharge and pain will stop, and over time, her hearing will improve. $423 will cover the cost of Sokhom’s operation. Let’s help fund the treatment to restore her ability to hear her loved ones loud and clear.

10-month-old Bayron lives with his older brother and his parents in a rented one-room house made of tin in Guatemala. Bayron loves to play ball with his older siblings. His father works as a day laborer, harvesting corn, beans, and squash for a neighbor’s plantation. His mother works at home, taking care of her Bayron and his siblings, cooking, and cleaning. Although both his parents work hard, they cannot afford to give him even one piece of fruit, egg, or vegetable per day. Bayron has not been growing well, has little appetite, and is getting sick often. This is because he has a poor diet, which is lacking in protein, calories, and nutrients. His immune system is weak, and he has been getting sick frequently--in the past two weeks alone he has had a cough, and a fever, conditions that are dangerous for a child suffering from acute malnutrition. In left untreated, malnutrition could have a devastating effect on his mental development and result in a greater risk of developing chronic diseases, such as diabetes and hypertension as an adult. Growth monitoring, micronutrient and food supplementation, and deworming medication will help Bayron recover from malnutrition--saving his life now and putting him on track to live a better life in the future. His parents will receive support to give Bayron the diet he needs to grow and develop healthily, even with their limited resources. Intervention now will prevent the future consequences of malnutrition. Treatment will give Bayron 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 him sick in the first place. Bayron's parents share, "We hope that he can study so he can have a good future."