Gladys is a Kenyan mother of seven. She and her husband are small-scale farmers and sell potatoes to provide for their children. Currently, their income is not enough to cover their medical bills. A few weeks ago, Gladys was involved in a road accident involving a motorcycle that resulted in a degloving wound on her left leg. Degloving injuries are injuries where the upper skin and tissue layers are torn from the lower muscle or bone. Last week, she successfully underwent a wound debridement procedure, and the wound is now clean. The surgeon has recommended a skin grafting procedure to be done while the wound is still in good condition. She is appealing for financial assistance to undergo the procedure, which is scheduled for February 9th. Gladys has accumulated a huge hospital bill that she and her family have been unable to pay. As a result, she needs help raising $1,089 to fund her skin grafting procedure, which will allow her to heal quickly and attend to her children Gladys says, ”My long stay in the hospital has really worried me. I don’t know how my children are doing and that has traumatized me. Kindly help me get treatment so that I may be able to go home.”

Kidus is a cute and playful little boy. He loves playing with toys and football with other children. His favorite food is Shiro (Ethiopian staple food) and meat. He also loves watching cartoons and is good at observing and imitating some characters from cartoon shows. He is the only child in the family. His dad is a tailor, employed at a local tailor shop. His father uses the little income to provide food for their family and pay rent. Kidus was born with a congenital anomaly called bladder exstrophy and he underwent surgery at BethanyKids with Watsi's support in 2021 to heal this condition. He was also born with a congenital anomaly called epispadias and has an inguinal hernia. Now he is scheduled for epispadias and right inguinal hernia repair. Epispadias impacts his ability to urinate and puts him at risk of future complications. Kidus is now much more playful than beforeand his family can see how intelligent he is. His family also shared how very much better psychologically they feel after his first treatment. But they are still worried about his urinary condition. He is now scheduled for the two surgeries that will take place simultaneously, and his family needs financial support. Kidus' father said, “Kidus means the world to me. To see him completely well will bring me so much joy. I want him to have a great personality with a kind heart; just like the amazing people helping him recover and become healthy. I really hope that he becomes a doctor in the future and helps those who are in need.”

Timothy is a sweet 4-month-old baby who is the last born in a family of four children being raised by two caring parents. The father works as an ICT specialist, and the mother is a banker. Their jobs enable them to provide for their family but with three children in school, they need to spend a significant amount of money to cover school fees and other school expenses. Timothy was born with a congenital condition where his leg was twisted inward and downward. The parents were advised on the best treatment plan for their son’s condition at the center where Timothy was born. He started treatment for clubfoot with a series of castings and then had a tenotomy. After the procedure, they faced an unexpected hurdle. The hospital could not provide the Foot Abduction Brace (FAB) to Timothy. As this equipment was crucial in his treatment process, they were directed to our center for further assistance. Upon arrival at our center and a sit-down with our team, our clubfoot specialist realized that Timothy’s foot still required casting. This news was troubling to the parents, as they had spent two months in treatment with the hope that they were about to finish treatment. After spending so much money on their first attempt at treatment. The parents have exhausted their savings. They are asking for help to cover their son’s treatment. Timothy's family traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre where surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on May 12th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $935 to fund Timothy's clubfoot repair. After treatment, he will be able to walk with ease once as he grows and can live a full life ahead. Timothy’s mother says, "We still have hope that our son will be fine; we just have to get through with the treatment."

Ashin Mala is a 30-year-old monk from Burma. He became a monk a year ago and currently lives in a monastery in Karen State. He receives two meals a day and cash donations from worshippers. In October 2022, he visited the house of a member of the ethnic armed group in the village. At the home, a child was playing with a pistol and accidentally shot the gun, hitting a wall. Unfortunately, a part of the bullet ricocheted off the wall and hit Mala in his left eye. Immediately, Ashin Mala was brought to a hospital, where an X-ray showed that bullet shards were lodged under his left eye. The doctor removed most of the bullet shards and closed the gunshot wound. Though time has since passed, he still feels pain in his left eye and has lost vision in that eye. He has also developed itchiness and a burning sensation in that eye. Eventually, he was brought to Mae Sot Hospital in Thailand, where, with the help of Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF) and Watsi donors, he underwent a CT scan. The results showed multiple foreign bodies in his left eye, most likely shards left from the bullet, and indicated that his left eyeball was most likely ruptured. He was then referred to Chiang Mai Hospital (CMH), where an ophthalmologist told him they would have to remove his left eyeball. He was then admitted for surgery at CMH on February 22nd. Mala needs help raising $1500 to fund this procedure that will relieve him of his pain. Ashin Mala said, "I believe my pain will disappear after the operation. I want to get rid of the pain. Afterward, I will work hard to attend Dhamma University. I want to become a preacher. I will preach about Dharma [the teachings of Buddha] around my country.”

Srey Sor is a 33-year-old wife and mother of two from Cambodia. She has a 16-year-old son in high school and a 5-year-old daughter in kindergarten. Her husband supports the family by working a local job in construction. In her free time, Srey Sor likes to garden, grow her own vegetables, and cook for her family. Three years ago, Srey Sor fell at home, injuring her tibia and de-stabilizing her knee. The injury has resulted in recurring dislocations in her knee. Due to the severity of the injury, Srey Sor has been unable to walk and needs to take pain medication regularly to ease her symptoms. When Srey Sor learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), she traveled for over two hours to seek treatment. On February 16th, surgeons at CSC will perform a knee fusion procedure to secure the joint and restore a pain-free range of motion in her leg. CSC is requesting $600 to fund this procedure. Srey Sor said, "I hope after this surgery I can walk and take care of my children and that the pain will stop."

Doeun is a 32-year-old blacksmith from Cambodia. He lives in Kandal province with his wife, who is a house cleaner. They have a six-year-old son in the first grade. At home, he and his son like to watch boxing on TV or take walks in the evening. In July 2021, Doeun was in a motorcycle accident on a wet road and fractured his right leg in several places. He underwent surgery at a local government hospital. However, his leg has not healed properly. He needs to walk with crutches and is in chronic pain. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner Children's Surgical Centre (CSC) can help. On March 21st, Doeun will undergo a fracture repair procedure. A bone graft and nail will be placed in his bone to help it heal; he hopes to walk again without crutches. His family is able to contribute $100 to the surgery, and he needs help raising $483 to fully fund the procedure. Doeun said, "I hope my leg will be healed and I can go back to work to support my family."

Sopheak, who is 28 years old, comes from a family of rice farmers in rural Cambodia. When he isn't working, his favorite activity is fishing with his friends. In 2021 Sopheak moved to Thailand for a construction job. That November he sustained an injury at work, when a piece of glass cut his right leg. His boss helped him to seek treatment in Thailand, but after one month of hospitalization, Sopheak was sent back to Cambodia. Since returning home, Sopheak has been to multiple clinics, but he hasn't improved. He has been diagnosed with foot drop, caused by compression of a nerve in his leg. This nerve controls the muscles involved in lifting the foot. Due to his injury, Sopheak has lost function in his leg, and he is no longer able to lift his foot when walking. He has also lost sensation in his leg, and as a result of these combined issues, he is unable to work. Sopheak is receiving help from our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre. On March 29th he will undergo a nerve repair procedure at Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre. After recovery, he will have improved range of motion in his foot. Now Sopheak needs your help to raise $572 to cover the cost of his surgery and care. Sopheak shared that he wants to be able to walk without dragging his foot, and be able to go back to work.

Sokkhet is a 48-year-old mother and farmer from Cambodia. Her husband passed away several years ago, so she is the only source of support for herself and her daughter. Sokkhet's daughter is ten years old and in the fifth grade. Sokkhet is a cassava farmer in the Kratie province, which keeps her busy all day. At home, she relaxes and helps her daughter with her homework. In February 2023, Sokkhet was in a moto accident and fractured her right humerus (upper arm bone). She could not afford a hospital and visited a traditional Khmer healer for support. Currently, she is in pain and unable to use her arm or work outside on her farm, and she is worried she cannot feed her daughter. A relative told her about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), and she traveled for five hours seeking treatment. Fortunately, on May 2nd, Sokkhet will undergo a fracture repair procedure that will enable her to use her arm again upon recovery. CSC is requesting $483 to fund this surgery. Sokkhet contributed $100 to her care. Sokkhet said: "I hope the doctors can fix my arm, so I can return to my farm to support my daughter and myself."

Tony is a 23-year-old student from Kenya. He was raised by a single mom and shared that she passed away a few years ago. He now lives with his elderly grandparents in rural Kenya. Tony has six siblings, who are all in school. Tony is in his third year at the university, where he is studying industrial chemistry. Unfortunately, he had to miss his end-of-semester exams because of his injuries and the need to use his school fees to cover his treatment costs. Tony also works part-time as a writer, but the income is insufficient to cover his school and medical bills. At the end of March, Tony was attacked by a group of people who took his valuables and hit him with a blunt object, causing serious injuries on the left side of his face. Tony was rushed to a nearby health facility for first aid and referred to a government hospital in the city the next day. The CT scan images revealed fractures in his face. Tony urgently needs to undergo surgery for his bones to heal properly. It is also difficult for him to open his mouth or eat due to his injuries. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On April 18th, Tony will undergo a fracture repair procedure called an open reduction and internal fixation. The procedure will help him eat and chew comfortably, and he will be able to resume his studies. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is requesting $979 to fund this procedure. Tony said: “I missed my exams because of the injury. I cannot eat or chew anything. I need this surgery to be able to eat and use my mouth well again.”

Giripina is an elder from Uganda who had eleven children- three of whom are still living. She is a small-scale farmer alongside her husband, who also practices carpentry. During her free time, Giripina enjoys spending time with her grandchildren. One month ago, Giripina began to experience uncomfortable symptoms, including a bulging abdomen. She continued with her activities at home, hoping that the condition would go away on its own. When the symptoms intensified, she was referred to a hospital where she was diagnosed with partial intestinal obstruction. The doctors recommended surgery given that, if left untreated, Giripina could develop worsened obstruction, gangrene, intestinal perforation, sepsis, or death. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Giripina with this life-saving treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a curative laparotomy on March 10th. This procedure will cost $297, and Giripina and her family need your support. Gripina says, “I pray for a successful surgery. I hope to get well so that I may be able to continue taking care of myself and my family through farming.”

Winjoy is a happy three year old girl, who lives with her grandmother. Because Winjoy's mother is a student, Winjoy's grandmother supports the family by selling vegetables that she grows. Winjoy arrived at the hospital with her left arm swollen around her elbow. Doctors determined that she had sustained a fracture, and a splint was applied to immobilize the joint. Winjoy's grandmother was advised that Winjoy needed to be admitted to the hospital for further evaluation and surgery, but her grandmother explained that she didn't have the necessary money for Winjoy's hospitalization. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, has stepped in to enable Winjoy to access the care that she needs. On January 23rd, Winjoy will undergo surgery at AIC Kapsowar Hospital, to repair her fractured arm. Now Winjoy and her grandmother are appealing to you to help raise the $679 needed for the surgery, which will ensure that Winjoy's fracture heals properly. Winjoys’ grandmother says: “This issue is very complex to me. I am the only provider to my children and grandchildren, and it has been so hard to even pay their school fees. I have been struggling for real and when I see my granddaughter's condition, my heart is broken more. I am not able to offer anything at the moment. Kindly help me so that she can grow normally.”