Nich is a seven-year-old student from Cambodia. She lives with her parents in Prey Veng province, near the border with Vietnam. Her parents are both rice farmers, and collect recycling such as plastic and glass bottles to earn additional income for the family. Nich is currently in first grade, and enjoys math. At home, she loves reading books and playing with her neighbors. For around one year, Nich has been experiencing difficulty breathing, snoring at night, difficulty swallowing, and recurrent episodes of pharyngitis. Because of her condition, Nich often misses school, making it hard for her to keep up with her classmates. Nich was recently diagnosed with enlarged tonsils and adenoids, which, if not treated, will cause her symptoms to persist and possibly intensify over time. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $265 to fund a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy for Nich, which is scheduled to take place on May 14th. Surgeons will remove her tonsils and adenoids, hopefully relieving Nich of her symptoms and helping her live much more comfortably. Nich's father shared: “I hope my daughter can feel healthy and be able to attend her school."

Oudam is a nine-year-old student from Cambodia. He is the only child in his family and lives with his mother. Sadly, his father passed away in a road traffic accident when Oudam was little. His mother works with his aunt, selling food, including rice with different kinds of soups, to support their family. Oudam is in grade 4, and his favorite subject is mathematics. When he grows up, he dreams of becoming a primary school teacher. At home, he enjoys eating rice with fish soup. During his free time, he enjoys playing games on the phone. Oudam needs to undergo a tendon and nerve repair procedure. He was born with diplegic cerebral palsy, a neurological disorder that affects muscle tone and movement in the legs. Because of his condition, he has an abnormal gait, which makes walking difficult and causes his feet to turn inward, impacting his mobility and daily activities. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is helping Oudam receive treatment. He is scheduled to undergo the tendon and nerve repair procedure on November 21st. Oudam's family was able to contribute $100 towards his medical care but needs help raising the remaining $472 in funds. Oudam's mother shared, "I hope he will be able to walk more easily and grow up happy."

Nita is a 13-year-old student from Cambodia. She is the second child in her family, with two sisters and a younger brother, all of whom are still in school. Her mother works in a shoe factory, and her father is a rice farmer. Nita is currently in 6th grade and enjoys her Mathematics class. She hopes to work on a farm like her father when she grows up. At home, Nita loves eating fried rice and spends her free time doing homework. In May 2019, Nita suffered a severe electric burn while playing at home. The burn affected both her hands and feet. Her left hand has scar contractures in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th fingers, while the first and second fingers on her right hand have scar adhesion and atrophy. It is hard for her to write at school, grip objects, and even feed herself due to the contractures in her hands and fingers. Nita's family learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, and sought treatment. On August 21st, our medical partner's staff will perform a burn contracture release surgery to address the contractures in her left hand. This procedure will release the tightness in her fingers, helping her use her hand more easily and improve her overall hand function. Her family is able to contribute $100 but needs help to raise $395 more to fund Nita's medical care. Nita shared, "After the surgery, I hope to recover quickly so I can go back to school."

Adrine is a 47-year-old small scale farmer. She was brought up by her mother alongside her two sisters and one brother, after their father died when she was only two years old. Adrine's mother worked hard to educate her children, but unfortunately could not afford to pay school fees for all of them them, and Adrine had to drop out after completing Standard 7 in primary school. The siblings are now grown and have their own families, all engaging in small scale farming. Adrine got married at the age of 20 and soon after had her first child. Later, her and her husband separated and she has had to fend for her daughter solely, who is now in Senior 4. Aside from small-scale farming, Adrine engages in casual labour to supplement her income. Adrine started experiencing lower abdominal pain about four years ago, coupled with bleeding, back pain and frequent urination. She went to hospital and was diagnosed with multiple uterine myomas. Adrine needs to undergo a hysterectomy to treat her condition, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Adrine receive treatment. On July 4th, surgeons at Karoli Lwanga Hospital will perform a hysterectomy, relieving her symptoms and enabling her to resume daily activities. Now, Adrine needs help to fund the $219 procedure. Adrine says, "I believe that surgery will be the most effective treatment option, as recommended by the doctor. I have already tried alternative remedies, but unfortunately, they have not provided any relief."

Liam is a 3-year-old boy from Kenya. Born to a single mother, he and his older sister live with their aunt as their mother temporarily relocated to Dubai in search of better opportunities. Their aunt, who is also a single mother, has two children of her own. She cares for the children and supports the family through beadwork. On April 12th, Liam was playing indoors when he accidentally fell out of a chair and injured his left elbow. He was promptly taken to the nearby hospital, where an X-ray revealed a closed fracture dislocation of his left hand. The doctors at the hospital recommended surgery for the fracture, but due to financial constraints, Liam's family decided to seek assistance from our medical partners at Nazareth Hospital. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On April 18th, Liam will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. The treatment will alleviate pain and restore his hand's function. Furthermore, as he is still growing, it will reduce the risk of the fracture healing with deformity, which could further impair his hand function long-term. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1.049 to fund this procedure. Liam's Aunt said, “I am so desperate and don’t know what to do with him anymore. I hope he can get help so that at least his hand can be well again, as we plan to take him to school soon.”

Bahati is a 14-year-old girl in grade 8. She is expected to sit for her primary school national exams this year. Bahati is the second born in a family of four children. Her father passed away six years ago. Her mother is the family’s only breadwinner and works whenever she can to get jobs washing clothes for people around her community. On July 4th, Bahati was hit by a speeding motorbike as she was coming home from school. She was left unconscious and rushed to a nearby facility by well-wishers. She had an x-ray and a CT scan that revealed a fractured bone in her right leg. The fracture is affecting her studies and mobility. It is difficult for her to walk, and she cannot ambulate without support. Fortunately, our medical partner African Mission Healthcare (AMH) can help. On July 25th, Bahati will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. This procedure will help her walk easily again, and she can return to school. AMH is requesting $1,500 to fund this procedure. Bahati's mother says, “This child is a candidate who should be in school studying. This injury has caused her not to go to school because she cannot walk. We pray that she gets treatment so that she can continue with her studies."

Allan is an eight-year-old boy from Kenya who lives with his sibling and mother. One day while playing at school, Allen fell and fractured his leg. Since the accident, he has not been able to put weight on his leg and has been using crutches. Allan and his mother were initially unable to seek medical attention for his injury due to a lack of funds. With the help of his relatives, who fundraised in order to help him seek medical care, Allan was connected with our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare. Doctors there diagnosed Allan with an infection in his fractured left leg that requires immediate treatment. After the tibia sequestrectomy surgery, Allan will be able to use his leg comfortably once again and return to school. Allan and his family need support raising funds for the $1,500 surgery, which will take place on March 10th. Allan's mother says, "Allan stayed at home after the accident due to lack of funds. His leg has picked an infection. He is at risk of losing his leg if not treated. He needs this surgery to walk.”

Francis is an elderly man from Uganda. He is a father of seven children, all of whom have left home and started their own families. He and his wife farm together on their small piece of land. When they have an increase in harvests, they sell off the surplus to meet additional family costs. For the past four years, Francis has dealt with a bilateral inguinal hernia. This hernia causes him to experience pain, especially when walking around. On the day of review at the hospital, he travelled for 18KM on a motorcycle taxi to our medical partner's care center, Nyakibale Karoli Lwanga Hospital (NKLH). Despite having a mechanical problem and it raining heavily that day, Francis knew he could not turn back home since the pain he has been experiencing is severe. Fortunately, he made it safely to the hospital and is now scheduled to undergo hernia repair surgery on August 9th at NKLH. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $230 to fund Francis's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably and confidently. Francis says, “I ask for your kind support to pay for my surgery and help me regain my good health."

Tin is a 56-year-old woman who lives with her husband, daughter, son in-law and granddaughter in Burma. Her husband and son in-law are day laborers, but because of the coup d'état and COVID-19, they are having difficulty finding work. Four years ago, Tin was diagnosed with diabetes and due to financial difficulties, she was not always able to buy medication. In April, Tin noticed that both of her hands were swollen and slightly achy while doing household chores. She applied traditional medicine, but her right hand did not heal. Over time, the pain and swelling increased, her right hand became red, and she developed a high fever. She visited a local clinic where the nurse told her she would need surgery and suggested she seek treatment at a local hospital. Fortunately, our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF) is helping Tin receive treatment. At our BCMF's care center, the doctor found an ulcer on Tin's right hand and diagnosed her with cellulitis. Surgery was recommended as soon as possible, as this type of ulcer can spread quickly. On May 11th, Tin will undergo a wound debridement procedure at BCMF's care center and now, she needs help to fund this $694 procedure. Tin shared, "during these difficult times, my family does not have enough money and we cannot afford to pay for my treatment. I would like to receive surgery as soon as possible so that I can go back to doing the household chores."

Jue is a 25-year-old woman who lives with her family in a village in Hmawbi Township, Yangon Division, Burma. Her parents are housekeepers, and her youngest brother is a first-year university student who has been seeking work. Jue used to run a beauty salon, but had to stop working four months ago when her health deteriorated. In her free time, Jue likes to watch the news and videos relating to her work at the beauty salon. She also likes to read books and wants to write a book of her own someday. In August 2020, Jue felt pains in her stomach and chest. She would also experience difficulty breathing sometimes, and she would feel tired when she walked for a longer period of time. Jue went to the clinic in her village, where she received oral medication, but she did not feel better after taking it. She returned to the clinic several times over the course of two months, but her condition continued to worsen – the chest pain, difficulty breathing and feeling of fatigue happened more often. Jue decided to go to another clinic in North Okkala Township in Yangon in November 2020. At the clinic, the doctor listened to her heart with a stethoscope, and informed her that she has a congenital heart condition. The doctor recommended she receive a blood test, an echocardiogram (echo) and an electrocardiogram (ecg) at a hospital. After visiting a hospital to receive those tests, the doctor there told her that she was born with a hole in her heart and that she might need to receive surgery at the general hospital. However, the cost of surgery was too high. Luckily, Jue crossed paths with another former patient and was referred to Watsi's Medical Partner Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF) to seek assistance with accessing treatment. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On January 24th, U Win will undergo an atrial septal defect closure procedure. Once recovered, her quality of life will significantly improve and she will be able to return to working at her beauty salon. Now, our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund this procedure. Jue shared, “I want to get better as quickly as possible and go back to work. I’m worried about my younger brother. He doesn’t have a job, and he needs to graduate from university. I’m also worried about Covid-19 because nobody has a job right now.”

Kamugisha is a 60-year-old farmer from Uganda. He is a father to ten children. On his plantation, he plants maize, beans, groundnuts and bananas. Kamugisha earns a small income from this endeavor. For the past year, Kamugisha has a right inguinal hernia, and the area is both swollen and painful. He initially tried treating his symptoms with herbal medicine, but the swell and pain did not recede. The pain affects his ability to carry out his daily activities, especially more strenuous ones like digging and weeding on his farm. He was advised by a friend to visit Nyakibale Hospital to seek additional care. Fortunately, on March 2nd, Kamugisha will undergo hernia repair surgery at our medical partner's care center. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $230 to fund Kamugisha's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably and confidently, and return to working daily on his farm. Kamugisha says “I have had this condition for a long time and if I had money, I would have received my surgery already. However, with this COVID-19 crisis, money has become an issue. I appeal for your support. I hope to continue with cultivating once I am fully healed.”

Yan Pai is a 16-year-old boy from Burma. His mother works as a laundress and a day laborer, planting and picking corn. He left school one year ago because his family could no longer afford tuition. Since then, Yan Pai has been working as a day laborer. For a few months, Yan Pai was experiencing pain in his leg. He tried to continue working, even taking a new job in a furniture shop. Recently, however, the pain grew so severe that Yan Pai found walking difficult and he began using crutches. X-rays showed an abnormal growth in his leg. He was referred to our medical partner for further investigation. On October 17, Yan Pai underwent an MRI. Watsi donors are currently funding this [procedure](https://watsi.org/profile/a9e34854b22c-yan-pai). From this MRI, Yan Pai’s doctor discovered a tumor in his left leg. On November 9, he performed surgery to remove the tumor. Now, Yan Pai’s family needs help to fund this $1,500 procedure.