Sokun is a 46-year-old hairstylist from Cambodia. He lives with his parents and one brother in Preah Sihanouk, and is the oldest of four siblings. His third brother is in the army, while his father, a retired teacher, and his mother, a rice farmer, have always worked hard to support their family. He also has three young children who live with their mother in another province. In his free time, Sokun enjoys watching TV at home. About a year ago, Sokun started experiencing hip pain on both sides. He went to a hospital in Phnom Penh six months ago, but he could not afford surgery, so he only took pain medication for relief. He was diagnosed with Bilateral Avascular Necrosis (AVN), a condition where the blood supply to the bones in the hip joint is disrupted, leading to bone death and joint deterioration. Now, he is unable to work any longer. He uses crutches and has difficulty walking long distances or standing for extended periods. Fortunately, Sokun learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre. At CSC, surgeons can perform a total hip replacement to relieve Sokun of his pain and allow him to walk easily. His surgery is scheduled for March 18th, and Sokun need your help. They can contribute $100 but need $1,018 more to fund this procedure and care. Sokun said: "I hope will no longer be in pain and will be able to walk on my own again."

Naw is a 39-year-old woman from Burma. She lives in the dormitory together with other students in one of the migrant schools in Tak Province, Thailand. She applied to be a teacher at the school for this school year. In March 2025, Naw started to experience frequent urination and low back pain, causing her to struggle to sit for long periods. She also feels stressed about both her condition and the cost of treatment. She has been diagnosed with multiple myomas and was advised to undergo a total abdominal hysterectomy, the surgical removal of her uterus and cervix. If left untreated, Naw's symptoms will continue to worsen and put her at risk for further health complications in the future. Fortunately, Naw is scheduled to undergo her hysterectomy on June 6th. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of her procedure and care. Once recovered, she should be able to live more comfortably. Naw expressed her gratitude, saying, “Thank you to the donors and BCMF for helping to cover my surgery costs. I plan to be a teacher after I am fully recovered, as teaching is my favorite thing to do.”

Jesusa has always been a hardworking and independent woman. She finds fulfillment and extra income in sewing, despite her aging vision. She lost her husband during the COVID-19 pandemic four years ago, and since then, she has taken on more responsibilities at home as she acts as a primary caregiver of her grandchildren. In 2019, Jesusa noticed a lump on her right arm. It was small and painless, but it gradually became bigger, bringing pain and discomfort. She has recently been experiencing numbness in her right hand and occasional pain in her shoulder, particularly during cold weather. Jesusa was referred to our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines, where she was diagnosed with a lipoma. Though the condition is non-cancerous, it is affecting her daily life, particularly in performing tasks that require the use of her hands. On May 10th, Jesusa will undergo mass removal surgery and she needs help to raise $1,479 for her procedure and care. Jesusa shared, "I am very grateful to those people who are helping us especially in these difficult times. It would bring great relief to me and to my family, and we consider this a great blessing."

Dolika is 53 years old and a mother of five from Malawi. She and her husband are farmers. She likes singing in church and enjoys eating nsima, a rice porridge, served with fresh fish. Since 2000, Dolika has been experiencing bleeding, abdominal pains, and weakness. In December 2024, her condition worsened affecting her ability to perform her daily tasks and interact with others in her community. She was diagnosed with multiple fibroids and recommended for surgery. Dolika needs a total abdominal hysterectomy (TAH), a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,363 to fund Dolika's surgery scheduled for March 7th. Once recovered, Dolika will be able to resume her daily activities without pain and discomfort. Dolika said, "I believe I have come to the right place. I have traveled all the way from Ntcheu to receive help. I have tried and failed to pay for my surgery, kindly help me to have my peace of mind back."

In August 2024, Kennan's family began to notice that something wasn't quite right. When they spoke to him, the six-year-old boy often seemed distracted, staring off into space, only responding when someone touched him. At first, his mother and grandmother thought he was being difficult, and they would scold him, urging him to pay attention. But their concern deepened when they received a call from the school. Kennan was having trouble hearing his teachers and classmates, which explained why he struggled to communicate like other children his age. At school, Kennan relies on lip-reading, watching his teachers closely and occasionally asking classmates to repeat what was said. It became clear to his family that his difficulties went beyond a lack of interest, prompting them to seek help. But it hasn’t been an easy journey for Kennan’s family. His father tragically lost his life in a road accident in 2023, leaving behind a deep void. Now, Kennan's mother works hard selling oranges at the market, while his grandmother is unemployed. His mother struggles to provide for Kennan and his younger sister, who is just 4 years old. Each day, she works tirelessly just to put food on the table. Kennan's grandmother is especially worried about him. She often fears for his safety when he plays outside, anxious that he may not hear an approaching vehicle or motorbike. Her heart breaks knowing she can’t do more to help her grandson. Recently, Kennan's grandmother brought him to our medical partner's care center, AIC Kijabe Hospital, where he was diagnosed with reduced hearing. The good news is that hearing aids can provide the help he needs to thrive and connect with the world around him. However, the cost of these hearing aids is a barrier for Kennan’s family. They are now reaching out for support to help provide Kennan with the hearing aids he desperately needs. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Kennan receive treatment. On February 6th, he will be fitted with hearing aids, allowing him to hear, learn, and grow. Now, Kennan's family needs help to fund the $1,171 treatment. Kennan says: "When I'm in class, I often have trouble hearing the teacher, so I rely on my friends to fill me in by telling me what's going on."

Naw Shee is a 24-year-old from Burma. She lives with her husband, her two sons, younger sister, and two nieces in a refugee camp in Mae Hong Son Province, Thailand. She is from Karen State, Burma, and fled to the refugee camp with her family in March 2022 due to an airstrike in her village. All of her nieces, her children, and her little sister go to school in the refugee camp. Naw Shee’s husband works as a day laborer outside of the camp while Naw Shee works as a pre-school teacher in the camp. Every month they receive a cash card from the aid agency that works in the camp and they receive free basic healthcare in the camp. In her free time, she loves to make traditional Karen clothes for her family. Naw Shee is pregnant and doctors recommend that she deliver via a caesarean section because of complications from her previous pregnancy. This way, doctors can ensure the safety of both mother and child. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is helping Naw Shee undergo a c-section on January 10th. This procedure will cost $1500, and Naw Shee needs your support. Naw Shee shared, "In the future, I will go back to work to continue teaching the children after my maternity leave because I love my teaching job. Thank you to all the donors for your support toward my surgery costs.”

Edson is a six-month-old baby who lives in Guatemala. His best friend is his twin brother. For the first two months of their lives, their mother was able to breastfeed them. However, when she was diagnosed with a virus, she could no longer safely breastfeed her sons. Edson's mother bought the twins an initial supply of formula, but it is too expensive for her to continue buying it. Edson's limited diet has led to malnutrition. To stabilize his condition, Edson was given a preliminary supply of formula at our medical partner's care center, Clinic Miller. Now, the clinic's nutritionist is creating a formal nutritional treatment plan for Edson. Edson will begin malnutrition treatment on January 17. Our medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq, is asking for $1,107 in funds to provide Edson with nutritious formula. The funds will also cover the cost of health education for Edson's mother. One-on-one motivational education will teach her how to identify signs of malnutrition and how to create a nutritious, inexpensive diet for Edson. “I hope my son recuperates and attains a normal height and weight,” says Edson's mother. With the formula, Edson’s immune system will strengthen, and he will grow to be a healthy, energetic baby!

Hong Ly is a one-year-old boy from Cambodia. He lives with his parents and two siblings. In December, Hong Ly burned the middle finger of his right hand. He developed a contracture, which means that the skin around the burned area is painfully tight. This restricts his mobility and makes it difficult for him to use right hand. Hong Ly's parents knew about our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre, because his grandmother had surgery there before. Hong Ly and his mother traveled three hours to reach the center for care. Hong Ly is scheduled to receive treatment on January 17. Our medical partner is requesting $194 to cover the cost of the operation, in which surgeons will graft skin onto Hong Ly’s middle finger, allowing him to regain full use of his right hand.

23-month-old Supa is the first and only child of her parents. She was born with spina bifida, a condition causing an open mass on the spine. Recently, the mass started to leak, intensifying Supa's risk of infection and spinal damage. Fortunately, she will undergo a spina bifida closure on January 5. Supa’s mother is a laundress, and his father is a construction worker. The family lives in a rental house in the Nairobi suburbs. They need help to fund this $1,097 procedure. Supa's parents are hopeful about this treatment, and they want to see her excel in the future. “I am still nervous," says Supa's mother, "but I am looking forward to her treatment. I will appreciate if we get help, since Supa is very precious to us."

Rain is a three-year-old boy from the Philippines. He lives with his parents in a bamboo house. His father, Romeo, is a farmer. Rain likes to play balay-balay. In this game, he and his friends construct a house with blankets, pillows, and bath towels and pretend to be a family. Rain has been diagnosed with moderately acute malnutrition. He began $184 malnutrition treatment on October 20. He is being treated by International Care Ministries (ICM), a Watsi medical partner. One out of five children under five in ICM communities is either severely or moderately acutely malnourished. Worldwide, poor nutrition is associated with nearly half of all deaths in young children. In remote communities and urban slums of the Philippines, the lack of clean water and unclean environments add risk to potentially fatal childhood diseases. ICM’s Home-Based Feeding program provides nutrient-enriched food packs to ensure malnourished children get additional food to regain normal weight and achieve optimum physical and mental development. After identifying a child as malnourished, staff and community volunteers make weekly visits to monitor this child’s progress. To help sustain the health of the child, ICM's professional staff educate the mother, guardian, or other family members about proper nutrition, sanitation, hygiene, and organic vegetable gardening. Rain's parents hope that he becomes a teacher in the future.

One-month-old Dickson is the first child born to his parents. His mother works at a small drug store as a store keeper and his father is a small-scale farmer – he relies on growing maize and beans. Apart from being born with congenital bilateral clubfoot, Dickson is a cute baby, healthy and growing without problems. Bilateral clubfoot is a birth defect in which the foot is twisted out of shape or position. Doctors at Watsi's medical partner recommended surgery so Dickson will be able to walk normally in the future. The cost of treating clubfoot is just too high for Dickson's parents to afford. Treatment, which costs $1,160, will prevent him from using the lateral aspect of his feet for walking when he starts to walk. “We just pray that our son’s feet can be straightened to allow him to walk like other children and later on go to school,” shares Dickson’s mother.

Sophea is a 59-year-old woman who is married with three daughters and six grandchildren. She lives in Cambodia and enjoys watching the news and visiting the pagoda to listen the monks pray. Sophea developed a pterygium (benign growth of conjunctiva) in each eye six years ago. This causes her blurred vision, irritation, burning, and tearing. She can't see clearly, do work well, or get around outside on her own. Thus, she traveled three hours with her daughter to reach Children's Surgical Centre for treatment. For only $150, Sophea will undergo a pterygium excision surgery in each eye, during which the conjunctiva growths will be removed. She will then be able to see clearly again and her pain, burning, and irritation will be relieved. "I hope I feel comfortable after my surgery so I can easily watch TV and look after my grandchildren," shares Sophea.