Daudi is a happy 10-year-old boy from Kenya. He is the youngest of three children in his family. Daudi's mother sells vegetables as a street vendor in the village. She and her husband are separated. She is the sole provider of the family and Daudi requires a lot of attention. Daudi has clubfoot of both feet. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Daudi's feet are rigid and he cannot walk or stand, so he relies on his mother who often carries him. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH) is helping Daudi receive treatment. Daudi and his mother traveled to AMH's care center where surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on March 16th. AMH is requesting $1,286 to fund Daudi's clubfoot repair. The surgery will be very impactful for him, because he will be able to walk and stand on his own. Daudi's mother shared, “I am appealing to people of goodwill to help my son undergo surgery so that he can be independent. God bless you!"

Halhadad is a 3-year-old boy from Tanzania. Halhadad is the last born child in a family of three children. His mother works hard to support and care for the three children by herself. She started a small business of selling doughnuts called “mandazi” and roasted cassava in order to be able to pay for rent and provide for her children. Halhadad was diagnosed with bilateral genu valgus, or knock knees. His legs bow inward so that his knees touch. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, which often stems from contaminated drinking water. As a result, Halhadad is unable to run, and it is painful for him to walk for a long distance. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $880 to fund corrective surgery for Halhadad. The procedure is scheduled to take place on February 9th. Treatment will hopefully restore Halhadad's mobility, enable to return to playing with his siblings, and greatly decrease his risk of future complications. Halhadad’s mother shared, “I would love to see my son walk without challenges, but the cost of treatment is too high for me to afford, kindly help my son.”

Dany is 29-years-old. She is married and her husband is a farmer. Together they have one son. When Dany's not caring for her very active child, she likes to go through Facebook and watch TV. For the past ten years, she has had consistent right ear discharge and pain. When she was a child, she had surgery for an abscess near her right ear. This infection caused a cholesteatoma, or an abnormal skin growth, to develop in the middle ear behind the ear drum. For this reason, Dany experiences hearing loss and ear discharge. It is difficult for her to hear or communicate with others. Dany traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On January 14th, she will undergo a mastoidectomy procedure in her right ear. During this procedure, ENT surgeons will remove the cholesteatoma. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $925 to fund this procedure. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care. "I really hope that after the operation my ear will be better, the hearing will be normal, the ear discharge and pain will all be gone," Dany said.

Maxwell is a 10-month-old from Kenya. His mother shared that he's already a playful and jovial boy together with his twin. Unfortunately, she said, his curiosity accidentally caused him to get a burn on his chest, abdomen, right arm and his feet. If left untreated, he could suffer from long-term tissue damage, prolonged pain, and infections. Maxwell requires a split-thickness skin graft surgery to help heal the burns and reduce the infections. On December 3rd, Maxwell was playing with his twin brother when he pulled down a cup containing hot tea from the table. The hot beverage spilled and burned his body. He was rushed to St Joseph Hospital in their home village of Kangemi and was treated in the emergency phase, and was later referred to Watsi's Medical Partner Care Center Kijabe Hospital the additional care he needs. At Kijabe Hospital, Maxwell has had debridement and endoscopy procedures. However, he still requires skin grafting which is scheduled at the end of the week. Since admission, Maxwell has already accrued a bill that his family is working hard to raise, but they are having difficulties. They are requesting Watsi's assistance for his his skin graft surgery. Maxwell has three other siblings and his mother stays at home watching them and taking care of their daily tasks. Their family relies on their father's income for survival and upkeep. Maxwell's father is a taxi driver in Kangemi, who earns a daily allowance depending on the availability of work. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Maxwell receive treatment. On December 17th, surgeons will perform a debridement and skin graft procedure to The surgery will reduce the chances of infection. Now, Maxwell needs help to fund this $1,185 procedure. Maxwell's mother says, “My baby has been in pain since the unfortunate accident occurred. I know he misses playing with his brother because they are very jovial together. We already have a huge bill that we are unable to afford. We need help with this surgery.”

Jane is a 70-year-old kiosk owner from Kenya. She is a former civil servant who was released from government duty in 2000. Since then, she has since been running a small kiosk that sells vegetables and other groceries. In March 2019, Jane suffered a fracture on her left distal femur with intraarticular extension, meaning the break crossed into the surface of a joint. To remedy this, she underwent surgery with a locking plate. However, the fracture has not healed properly, which threatens her mobility. Doctors are now recommending a another fracture repair surgery to prevent future complications of her condition, including inability to walk. However, this procedure is costly for Jane. The profit she earns from her small business is not enough to cover her basic needs, let alone her medical bills. Jane has been relying on a small government pension to get by. She separated from her husband over 30 years ago and has since been raising her only son alone. Her son is an adult, but lacks a stable job and works as a casual laborer to make ends meet. Thus, Jane is appealing for financial help. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On November 11th, Jane will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. After recovering, she will no longer have difficulties in walking or be in constant pain. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,500 to fund this procedure. Jane shared, “I need this surgery to get back on my feet. I am the one taking care of my grandkids since my son has no job. This procedure will help me be able to go get vegetables from the market so that I can sell and continue my business.”

Ton is a 71-year-old retired rice farmer from Cambodia. She has six children and twelve grandchildren. She recently moved in with some of her grandchildren since her husband passed away two weeks ago. Ten years ago, Ton developed a cataract in her right eye, causing her blurry vision and photophobia. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, and going anywhere outside. When Ton learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for three-and-a-half hours by taxi seeking treatment. On July 7th, doctors will perform small incision cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in her right eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $229 procedure. Ton shared, "I hope my surgery makes it easy for me to see my grandchildren and help them with the housework. Since they are taking care of me I don't want them to worry about my vision."

Tabitha is a middle-aged woman from Kenya and a very jovial lady. She is a single mother with two children. In December 2019, Tabitha started feeling some swollen tissue in her breast. A few days later, she went to a nearby hospital to seek care. In the facility, a scan was done and she was given some medication. As time went by, the tissue in her breast continued to grow and worried Tabitha greatly. She returned to the facility to seek further treatment, but beyond a biopsy test and another scan, the facility told her they could not offer her additional treatment. When a family member paid her a visit, Tabitha shared her story and was referred to Kijabe Hospital. Upon arrival, she was examined and diagnosed with breast cancer. The doctors recommended a mastectomy to remove the lump in her breast. Without treatment, the cancer may metastasize to other organs. Tabitha has struggled financially to raise both of her children. To earn a living, she makes and repairs fishing nets and hooks and later sells them. One of her children has joined her in this business, and the other one does casual jobs to earn a living. Tabitha is not able to raise or source funds to pay for this surgery and appeals for financial help. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $857 to cover the cost of a mastectomy for Tabitha. The procedure is scheduled to take place on October 15th. After treatment, Tabitha will hopefully return to a cancer-free life. Tabitha says, “Having heard from the doctor that the swollen tissue might be cancerous, I am very much worried about my health. On the other hand, I am happy that the tissue can be removed. I am hopeful that I will receive treatment very soon despite having no money for the surgery.”

Zephania is a third grade student from Tanzania and the sixth born in a family of seven children. His family hails from Kabarawo village, which is known to be rural area with limited access to medical and social services. Zephania comes from a humble background and his family lives in a community land area in a grass-thatched house on a temporary basis. His father was a guard who lost his job due to Coronavirus and his mother has a grocery shop at a small centre in their village. Since his father lost his job, life hasn’t been easy for their family and they depend mostly on his mother's earnings, which they shared are very low. One week ago, Zephania was playing with his friends when he fell into a ditch after a push by one of his friends. He fell from a high height and sustained trauma with injuries on his left leg. He is in pain and cannot walk. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On September 15th, Zephania will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. This procedure will allow him to heal well and be able to walk on his own and without pain. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,016 to fund this procedure. Jane, Zephania’s mother, shared with us: “He has been in pain and I feel sorry for him. He can’t move his leg, I hope he will receive treatment soon. I want to see him walk again.”

Khin is a 25-year-old man from Thailand. He lives with his wife and his friend in Mae Pa Village in the north of the country. Khin and his wife moved from Burma searching for better job opportunities. His wife works in a factory as a seamstress. Khin used to work as a day laborer but since his accident he has not been able to work. His friend works as an agricultural day laborer but he does not share his income with Khin and his wife. In his free time, Khin loved to play caneball with his friends and listen to music. Khin currently has a colostomy and shared that he does not like having one. He feels embarrassed and he avoids his friends. He worries what his friends will think so he always stays at home since he received the colostomy. Aside from his symptoms, he feels sad that he cannot work and that he has to depend on his wife’s income. Furthermore, because of the COVID-19, the factory his wife works at has reduced their hours of operation. Khin underwent a colostomy, in which the end of the colon was brought through an opening in the abdominal wall. This surgery is often performed to bypass bowel malformations, but colostomies are usually temporary and may call for reversal. In Khin's case, his colostomy requires reversal in order to restore bowel function and prevent future complications. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to cover the cost of a reverse colostomy for Khin. The surgery is scheduled to take place on August 10th and, once completed, will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably and confidently. Khin said, “I feel sad that I cannot work and have to depend on my wife’s income. When I was admitted at the hospital my wife had to accompany me which also reduced the salary she received.”

Kea is a three-year-old child from Cambodia. Her parents are both factory workers, and Kea is their only child. She has not started school yet, but she enjoys drawing pictures and listening to stories. She goes with her dad to play outside everyday. In July of 2018, she suffered a burn on her right hand from hot water. Her parents took her to a local hospital where the doctors were only able to clean and dress the wound. Soon her fingers became contracted and she could no longer use her hand normally. When Kea's family learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), they traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On July 9th, surgeons at CSC will perform a burn contracture release surgery to release the tension in her hand and allow her to move her fingers well again. Now, she needs help to fund this $477 procedure. Kea's mother shared, "She has had problems playing with other children since she got this burn, so I hope after the surgery she can have a good time with her friends."

Maxwell is a 3-year-old from Kenya. He is an only child, his father owns a small butchery, and his mother is a stay-at-home mom. Maxwell was born with hypospadias, a congenital abnormality that causes urinary dysfunction. Without treatment, he will continue to experience uncomfortable symptoms and will be at risk of infertility. Fortunately, Maxwell is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on June 23. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $770 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. “It will be a great joy to see Maxwell’s condition fully treated,” shared Maxwell's mother.

Mary is a housewife from Kenya. She is married with two children, who are in school. Mary's husband has a kiosk to earn income and Mary has also kept two cows that give them milk for their family. Since December 2018, Mary has been experiencing experiencing lower abdominal pains and heavy prolonged menses. She has been diagnosed with multiple fibroids. She needs to undergo a hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $791 to fund Mary's surgery. On May 15th, she will undergo gynecological surgery at our medical partner's care center. Once recovered, Mary will be able to resume her daily activities free of pain. Mary shared, "I am suffering a lot even to take care of my family is hard because of the bleeding. I plead for help so that this problem can be over and I can lead my normal life and also take care of the family.”