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.

Srey Lav is fourteen years old and in the tenth grade. She has eight sisters and one brother. In her free time, she likes to read books and watch TV. When she was young, Srey Lav developed an ear infection in her right ear and her right tympanic membrane perforated. Since then, she has experienced ear discharge, pain, and hearing loss. She has difficulty hearing at school. When Srey Lav's family learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), they traveled for two hours to seek treatment. On November 4, CSC surgeons performed a myringoplasty procedure in her right ear to repair the perforated tympanic membrane and treat the infection. After recovery, Srey Lav's hearing will improve. Now, her family needs help to fund this $450 procedure. "I hope the ear discharge stops and that I have good hearing," she says.

Phen is a 73-year-old married man from Cambodia. He has three sons, three daughters, and ten grandchildren. In his free time, he likes to go to the pagoda to listen to monks pray and to read books. Phen heard about the Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), a Watsi medical partner, from a person in his village who had surgery there before. He traveled for four hours with his grandchildren to reach CSC for treatment. Phen developed a cataract in each eye about three years ago, causing blurred vision. This makes it difficult for him to see things clearly, do any work, and go places on his own. Phen will undergo a phacoemulsification procedure, to break up and remove the cataracts, and an intraocular lens (IOL) implant in each eye. This will improve his vision. $292 will cover the costs of the surgery and care Phen needs. Phen says, "I hope I can see everything more clear than now so that I can easily read any book and I can go to the pagoda and go anywhere outside without needing to disturb others to take care of me."

Meet Julio, a 55-year-old father of three from the Philippines. He's recently been diagnosed with a thyroid goiter, a condition where the thyroid gland swells abnormally. “Julio is having a visible anterior neck mass and experiencing difficulty in swallowing and lying on the right side,” explains our medical partner, International Care Ministries (ICM). “He cannot carry heavy objects because he observes [the goiter] getting bigger when he does and it causes him to have difficulty breathing.” “His work is hindered because of his condition and he can no longer provide for his family,” continues ICM. “His wife is a housewife and does not have an income, so they are having difficulty providing for their son’s education.” For $1,500, Julio will receive a thyroidectomy surgery to remove the neck mass. ICM expects that after treatment, he should be able to work with ease to provide for his family. “We are so happy and thankful for this opportunity," shares Julio's wife. "We have been praying for the provision and we consider this as an answered prayer."

Brysoni is a two-year-old boy from Tanzania. In September of 2015, Brysoni sustained severe burns after surviving a fire in his home. Neighbors rescued Brysoni and his brother and took them to the hospital. “Brysoni’s wounds healed but the fire left him with deformed muscles in his left hand,” states our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). “If not treated, Brysoni will be left with a non-functional hand.” Brysoni’s mother is raising her children on her own. She owned a small fruit and vegetable stand but was forced to close it down after the fire. She is currently unemployed and relies on family for support. $550 will cover the cost of surgery to remove scar tissue from the joints in Brysoni’s hand, promoting muscle growth and movement. This surgery will restore movement in Brysoni’s hand, giving him far more opportunity to go to school and work in the future. “I pray my son will get well and later on get good education,” says Brysoni’s mother.

“Thu is a 42-year-old Burmese woman who lives with her two daughters, ages 19 and nine,” our medical partner, Burma Border Projects (BBP), tells us. “Her elder daughter is recently married and her husband lives with the family. Her youngest daughter is a student in grade three. Thu also has two sons who have moved away to start their own families.” Thus has congenital circulatory malformations and heart defects. “Thu first experienced her symptoms, which include chest pain, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, and high blood pressure, two years ago,” BBP explains. “Prior to the onset of her symptoms, Thu and her oldest daughter worked together selling flowers in the market,” BBP continues. “Their combined income was sufficient for the family’s expenses, but Thu hasn’t been able to handle the physical activity of her work, so her daughter as assumed all work responsibilities.” Complex cardiac treatment and surgery for Thu costs $1,500 and will be performed in Thailand. Burma Children's Medical Fund, an organization that has a strong enough relationship with the relevant Thai authorities to facilitate the transportation to, and treatment of, Burmese people at Thai hospitals, is subsidizing the treatment with an additional $13,525. “Following successful treatment, Thu will be able to return to her family and recommence work so that she can contribute to the family finances,” BBP says. “If I can regain my health, our family situation will improve greatly,” shares Thu.