Marie is a four-year-old girl from the Philippines. She loves to play with her make-up kit and play hide and seek with her neighbors. Marie was recently diagnosed with malnutrition, a condition that results from consuming too few calories, proteins, and nutrients. Beginning on June 28, Marie will receive at-home malnutrition treatment through our medical partner, International Care Ministries (ICM). ICM will provide Marie with nutrient enriched food packs to help her gain weight and achieve optimum physical and mental development. The program will also teach her family about proper nutrition, sanitation, and organic gardening to better care for their daughter. ICM is requesting $173 to cover the cost of Marie's ongoing care. "Someday, I hope my daughter can reach her normal weight so she can live strong and healthy and finish her studies. I dream she will become a teacher someday," her mother says.

Nit is a seven-year-old girl from Thailand who lives with her mother and 13-year-old brother, while her two older sisters live in Bangkok selling noodles. Nit is in first grade and according to the school teacher, is one of the brightest students in the class. Her mother says that Nit has always been very smart and independent. Not long ago, Nit's family noticed a change in her mood and appearance such as crying, irritability, tilted head, and droopy eyes. After noticing these symptoms, they took her to a local hospital to have some tests done. Nit's mother was informed that Nit's symptoms could be caused by a brain tumor and they were advised to take Nit to our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), for further evaluation. On May 19, Nit will undergo a CT scan. BCMF is requesting $693 to fund the CT scan, three nights of hospital stay, and transportation. Nit's mother says, "I pray that my daughter gets better so that she can pursue her dream of becoming a school teacher."

Meet Moo, a bright, 14-year-old girl from Burma. Moo lives with her parents, two sisters, and brother in a village in Karen State, Burma. Moo’s parents are subsistence farmers; they raise animals and forage for food in the forest to provide for their family. Moo loves to spend time with her friends in the village and to play with her younger siblings at home. Moo works with her parents on the farm where she especially enjoys helping with the cows. She hopes to be a farmer herself some day. “I want to help my parents on the farm when I grow up,” she shares. Two years ago, Moo noticed she was having difficulty breathing and felt there was a blockage in her nose. Throughout the year her condition worsened. Access to healthcare is hard to come by in conflict-ridden areas such as Karen State so, in early 2016, Moo’s father took her to a clinic in neighboring Thailand, a 10-hour journey from home. At the clinic she was prescribed antibiotics but they did not prove to be helpful. This summer, Moo was referred to Mae Sot Hospital in Thailand and again was prescribed antibiotics. Her condition did not improve and she returned to the hospital several more times. Finally, in August 2016, Moo was given an X-ray that confirmed that she has nasal polyps blocking the openings to her sinuses and will need to undergo surgery to remove them. As a result of her condition, Moo experiences extreme headaches, pain between her eyes, and sudden dizziness. Her nose and eyes itch, making it difficult for her to sleep. The polyps make it difficult for her to breathe, and she has lost her sense of smell. $1,500 will help fund endoscopic sinus surgery for Moo at Mae Sot General Hospital, a Watsi partner. This sum will also cover travel expenses, and post-operative care. Let's help make it possible for Moo to recover.

Meet Cephas, a thirty year old man and the last born in his family. He is single and works as a laboratory technician. Cephas stays in a single roomed house in Kenya. His parents are retired civil servants, while his other three siblings are not employed and have families. Cephas is not permanently employed. Cephas was involved in a road accident while riding a motorcycle in August of 2016. He was rushed to the hospital, and after receiving first aid, he was referred to our medical partner for further treatment. Cephas has not been able to eat solid food since the accident. He is not able to go back to work either. He has a fractured jaw and requires ORIF [open reduction internal fixation] surgery of the mandible and maxilla to realign his bones, as well as occipital flap repair surgery. Cephas's treatment has been subsidized by family and friends for $208, but an additional $660 is needed. If not treated, Cephas will continue experiencing pain in his jaws and not be able to eat. There is also risk of non-union of his bones or infection. Cephas says, “I want to be well, go back to work and continue providing for my family."

Win Tin is a nine-year-old girl who lives in Burma with her parents and her three younger sisters. About two years ago, a benign tumor began growing on the right side of Win Tin’s jaw line. Her parents called upon a medical shaman and other local healers before seeking a prognosis at a local clinic. At the clinic, a doctor took an x-ray and suggested attempting removal of what appeared to be a mass by incision and suction. Her parents are fearful of the concept of surgery and they left the clinic without Win Tin receiving treatment. A year later Win Tin complained of puss coming from her teeth. Shortly thereafter two of her teeth fell out. Now two years have lapsed and the size of the tumor had not decreased or increased, but Win Tin’s symptoms persist. The tumor is firm, her jaw aches, puss continues to emerge, and she experiences itchiness. She can, however, eat comfortably. Since Win Tin stopped attending school two years ago, her mother often must stay home and she has been working less. Because symptoms have persisted for so long, the parents decided it was time to seek professional medical treatment. Win Tin's parents are agricultural workers, and their income fluctuates from month to month. They've accepted that their daughter needs surgery to remove her tumor, but cannot afford to pay for it. "I want to be secondary school teacher when I grow up," Win Tin shares. For $1,500, we can fund surgery to remove Win Tin's tumor, allowing her to continue her education.

Nirmala recently broke her left arm and dislocated her right elbow in an accident. A doctor at our partner hospital, Possible, explains, “Nirmala had climbed a tree to cut the foliage for the cattle when she fell off and sustained multiple injuries in the body. She realized that she can not move her right arm and she has terrible pain in the left wrist as well. After the incident she can not even move her arms without pain. She is unable to take care of herself let alone work for the family.” Nirmala is a hardworking 18-year-old cattle farmer from Nepal! Nirmala recently married into a family of eight members. The family is primarily involved in agriculture and her husband and his brother are in India to support the family. Nirmala wakes up before everyone else in her family so she can work in the kitchen and take care of the cattle. Before she got married, Nirmala was in school and finished 10th grade. She’d like to go back to school someday if she’s able. To fix her injuries, she needs a $205 treatment to repair damaged bones. Nirmala says, "We can not afford the treatment. How can we? We have to take loans for this." Let's make sure Nirmala receives treatment and can return to focusing on her family and getting back to school!