Joella is a seven-month-old girl from the central Philippines. She lives with her parents in a bamboo house. She loves learning about the world around her, playing with anything she can reach. Joella has been diagnosed with severe acute malnutrition. She has thin arms and legs, and her mother in concerned for her health. "I hope her weight becomes normal," her mother says. Our medical partner, International Care Ministries, is requesting $268 to cover the cost of an in-home feeding program to treat Joella's malnutrition. This will pay for nutrient-enriched food packs, weekly visits from medical staff, and health education for family members. Joella is scheduled to begin treatment on February 23.

Eva is fourteen months old and has malnutrition, a dangerous condition that occurs when the body doesn't get enough nutrients. In the short term, malnutrition means Eva has little energy to grow, and her immune system is weak. If Eva does not receive treatment, she will also face malnutrition’s long-term consequences, including increased risk of chronic diseases, delays in cognitive development, and irreversible stunted growth. Fortunately, malnutrition is very treatable. Eva lives in rural Guatemala with her parents and five older siblings. She is shy with new people, but her family reports that once she knows a person, she is smiley and warm. Eva likes to plays cars with her older sister, and when she hears music on the radio, she tries to dance. Her favorite foods are eggs and watermelon. The family wants the best for baby Eva, but their limited resources are already stretched thin. Her father works in agriculture in the countryside, and her mother takes care of the household. Eva will begin treatment on January 19, and the family needs help to raise $437. With growth monitoring, micronutrients, and food supplementation, Eva's treatment will give her a chance to grow healthily. This life-changing treatment will give Eva the opportunity to play and grow, supported by a healthy brain and body.

Kiev is a 66-year-old mother of six and grandmother of thirteen. She lives in Cambodia. Ten years ago, Kiev developed a pterygium, or growth, in each eye. As a result, it became difficult for her to see things clearly and go anywhere outside on her own. She was worried about going blind. After hearing about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), Kiev traveled for three hours with her son to seek treatment. On December 19, Kiev will undergo eye surgery, during which her doctors will remove the pterygium from each eye, allowing her to see clearly again. CSC is requesting $148 to fund this procedure. "I hope that my eyes will look better," says Kiev, "so that I can easily do my work at home, like cook and clean, and I can go anywhere by myself."

Rosa is a one-month-old girl from Guatemala. Since her birth, her mother has had difficulty producing breastmilk. As a result, Rosa is not growing and is losing weight. This limited diet is insufficient and has dangerous implications for Rosa’s health. Lactation failure can lead to starvation and dehydration. It can also compromise brain development, putting Rosa at risk of long-term damage. Fortunately, Rosa began treatment for lactation failure on December 20. Rosa lives with her parents and siblings in rural Guatemala. She has one older brother and two twin sisters. Her parents hope that she will study hard in school and become a nurse. Rosa’s father works in agriculture, and her mother manages the household. The family's income is small and inconsistent. They cannot afford this treatment, so our medical partner is requesting $1,107 in funding. Rosa's treatment will be simple and effective. She will receive formula, which will give her the protein, calories, and nutrients she needs to grow and develop. Her mother will receive in-home nutrition education, so she will learn low-cost ways to prevent future cases of malnutrition. Rosa's immune system will strengthen, and she will grow up to be a healthy, energetic baby. "I've been worried since my daughter's birth because I don't have breast milk to give my daughter, and she is losing weight," says Rosa's mother. "I want to see my daughter grow well so she does not get sick."

Koem Heang is 13 months old. She is an only child who likes to play with toys. Koem Heang has a type of congenital strabismus called exotropia. This condition causes her eyes to turn outward. Her parents are worried that she will feel uncomfortable around others as she grows. When Koem Heang's parents learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, they traveled for one hour seeking treatment. On October 31, doctors performed a corrective eye surgery. After recovery, Koem Heang's vision will improve. Now, her family needs help to fund this $264 procedure.

Princess is a four-year-old girl from Bago City, Philippines. She loves to pretend she is cooking. Princess lives in a small bamboo house with her parents and brother. Her father is a carpenter, and he has difficulty supporting his family. Unfortunately, Princess is living with acute malnutrition. She often complains of hunger, and she is visibly frail. Princess began malnutrition treatment on October 17, 2016. Princess is being treated by International Care Ministries (ICM), a Watsi medical partner. One out of five children under 5 in ICM communities is either severely or moderately acutely malnourished. Worldwide, poor nutrition is associated with nearly half of all deaths in young children. In remote communities and urban slums of the Philippines, the lack of clean water and unclean environments add risk to potentially fatal childhood diseases. ICM’s Home-Based Feeding program provides nutrient-enriched food packs to ensure malnourished children get additional food to regain normal weight and achieve optimum physical and mental development. After identifying a child as malnourished, staff and community volunteers make weekly visits to monitor this child’s progress. To help sustain the health of the child, ICM's professional staff educate the mother, guardian, or other family members about proper nutrition, sanitation, hygiene, and organic vegetable gardening.

Heang is a 63-year-old woman living in Cambodia with her one daughter and two grandchildren. She enjoys visiting the pagoda to listen to the monks pray. Three years ago, Heang developed a cataract in each eye, causing her blurred vision, irritation, sensitivity to light, and cloudy lenses in her eyes. She and her daughter traveled to our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), for further evaluation. Her doctors at CSC recommended she have a phacoemulsification and an intraocular lens implant in each eye, which will replace her internal lenses and restore her vision to full clarity. In total, the procedure, supplies, drugs, and three days of inpatient care will cost $292. Following her surgery, Heang will have restored vision and her discomfort will be resolved. She will also have her independence again, and will be able to visit the pagoda on her own.

Ann is a middle aged woman from Nakuru, Kenya. She is a mother to two children. Her husband has hip problems and has not been able to work since 2013. The family relies on help from neighbors, and they live in a four roomed house, which is incomplete as the husband got sick before its completion. He was the sole provider of the family. Ann used to sell cakes to supplement her family income. She has since stopped as she is not able to walk with ease. In 2013 September, Ann complained of back pains and made several visits to the hospital. She was given pain management drugs. She needed an x-ray which she took after several months due to financial burdens. The images indicated swollen veins and muscle on her back and legs. In 2015, after several clinical visits, she had an MRI done which indicated that Ann had arthritis. Ann is not able to walk or move with ease and has thus stopped working. She has to rely on friends to assist her as her husband is bedridden. If not treated, Ann will continue having a lot of pain and numbness. She risks having permanent disability. Surgery was recommended but she has not been able to raise the amount needed. A spinal fusion will cost $1500, and is expected to significantly improve Ann's condition. “I want to be well to work and provide for my family," Ann shared.

“I will be happy when I receive the financial support to have surgery,” Buherere shares. He is a 63-year-old Ugandan man with a wife and three children. He, and all of his children, are banana farmers. However, the family does not bring in much income because the pieces of land that they own are small. About thirteen years ago, Buherere noticed a swelling in his left groin, or inguinal, region. Over time, he developed another swelling, this time in the right inguinal area. Although at first the lumps were not uncomfortable, this year they have begun to cause him pain and vomiting. Any straining increases his discomfort, so he is now unable to work. Upon the advice of a friend, Buherere traveled to Virika hospital. There, he was diagnosed with bilateral hernias and advised to have surgery. If he does not undergo this procedure, not only will Buherere continue to have to miss work. He also risks having his hernias develop fatal complications, such as strangulation, where part of the intestine undergoes tissue death. Although Buherere cannot afford to pay for hernia repair surgery on his own, we can bridge the gap. For $220, doctors will perform Buherere’s operation, closing the gaps in his abdominal wall that are causing the hernia. This sum will also cover the cost of the medications and two-week hospital stay he will need to recover from his procedure. Let’s help return Buherere to health so he can work again—and support his family.

Ratha is a 35-year-old farmer from Cambodia who is married with three sons and two daughters. She enjoys cooking, growing vegetables, and listening to the radio. She traveled three hours with her husband on motorbike to reach Children's Surgical centre (CSC) for treatment. Ratha began having ear discharge from her left ear when she was a child. An ear infection caused her left tympanic membrane to perforate and she has experienced hearing loss, recurrent discharge, and pain on her left ear. Ear, nose and throat doctors at CSC have discovered a cholesteatoma in her left ear. She is unhappy about her ear pain and her poor hearing makes it difficult to communicate with people. For $809, surgeons will perform a mastoidectomy surgery to remove the cholesteatoma, which will cause her ear discharge and pain to stop.

"Sometimes I can't study because the pain is so bad," shares 23-year-old Vy, a young woman from Cambodia. Vy is a university student who is studying marketing in Cambodia with the help of a local NGO. She has one older sister and three older brothers. For the past two years, Vy has experienced hearing loss in her left ear. She has recently experienced discharge and bleeding from that ear. Vy and her brother traveled one hour to reach our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), for care. Doctors at CSC discovered a cholesteatoma in her left ear. A cholestoeatoma is an abnormal skin growth in the middle ear behind the ear drum. Surgeons at CSC will perform a mastoidectomy surgery to remove the cholesteatoma and stop the ear discharge and infection from spreading. The operation and post-operative care will cost $809. "I hope my ear discharge stops and my hearing improves," continues Vy. "Once I am healed I hope to return home and get a good job."

Stella is a 46-year-old mother of three children living in Kenya. She operates a small green grocery, often selling pre-prepared vegetables to earn a living; and her husband is a carpenter and his income is small. Stella has cervical cancer, and she experiences fatigue and lower abdominal pain from time to time. Due to this fatigue, Stella is unable to attend to her business and has to close it most times. Stella went for cervical cancer screening and a LEEP procedure (treatment for abnormal cells on the cervix) in November 2015. Afterwards, the doctor advised for a total abdominal hysterectomy (TAH) procedure for better management of her CIN 3 (severely abnormal cells found on the surface of the cervix). If not treated, her condition may spread. However, a TAH for $800 can reduce the chances of further cancer development and spread. Stella will be relieved from the pain and fatigue and she will be able to work. “I hope to live longer and see my grandchildren," Stella said.