Stephen is a 62-year-old grandfather. He is a married man with two sons who are both married. He left his motherland long ago in search of work and landed in his current residence, where he works as a casual laborer - getting jobs around his community whenever he can. He lives with his wife and two grandchildren, studying in a nearby primary school. Stephen came into the hospital with complaints of swelling in his groin area that had been there for three months. An ultrasound found that he has hydrocele, which is swelling in a sensitive area. It has become hard for him to continue with work such that sometimes he cannot put food on the table. He needs treatment so that he can work comfortably and be able to provide for his family. Fortunately, our medical partner African Mission Healthcare (AMH) can help. Stephen is scheduled to undergo hydrocele repair surgery on August 28th. AMH is requesting $631 to fund Stephen's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will reduce the swelling to normal size and prevent further complications so that he will be able to live more comfortably. Stephen says, “I am the only person who works at home so as to provide basic needs. I feel so sad sometimes when I see my people in need of something, and I cannot provide it. I am not even comfortable walking. I am looking forward to getting well. Please help me.”

Raphorn is a 27-year-old casino worker who lives in Prey Veang province with his parents and brother. His parents are rice farmers, and his brother repairs air conditioners. Several weeks ago, Raphorn accidentally cut his hand with a knife. He took care of his wound by visiting a pharmacy for dressings and medication, because he could not afford to visit a clinic. Several days after his accident, he noticed that the wound was red and swollen. He visited a nearby hospital, and the doctors informed him that he was suffering from cellulitis, a common but potentially serious bacterial skin infection, which would require an incision and drainage of the infected wound. The area surrounding the wound is now swollen, tender to the touch, and painful, and he is unable to work. When Raphorn learned about our medical partner Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), he traveled for two and a half hours seeking treatment. On July 25th, surgeons at CSC will perform debridement of the infected skin and skin flap surgery to heal the wound infection so that he can work with his hand again. Raphorn is able to contribute $100 to the cost of the surgery and needs help with $673 to fund his procedure and care. He shared, "After surgery, I hope that my hand looks good and the infection is gone so I can go to work again."

Jhon lives in a city in the mountains of central Bolivia. His mother is a homemaker, and his father is a farmer. Shortly after Jhon was born, his parents noticed he was struggling to breathe. He was diagnoses with Tetralogy of Fallot, a condition involving a hole between the two lower chambers of his heart and a muscular blockage of one of his heart valves. Through surgery, doctors will patch the hole in his heart and remove the blockage so that blood can flow more normally through his heart and body. Jhon's mother states: "Our family is very hopeful that after this surgery our son will be able to breathe normally and have more energy."

Japhet is a baby and the last born in a family of five children living in Ngorongoro, Tanzania. His father works as a livestock keeper and farmer, cultivating crops for sustenance while selling part of the harvested produce to meet household expenses. Meanwhile, Japhet's mother fulfills the role of a homemaker, taking care of the children and managing house and family. Despite the father's efforts to provide for the family, there are difficulties in affording education and healthcare for their children, leading to their reliance on traditional remedies for medical treatment. Japhet was born with clubfoot, a condition where the foot is twisted out of shape, causing difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. This situation concerns his parents as they contemplate their child's future. While attending church, they received information about visiting specialists organizing a clinic specifically for children with treatable disabilities. Japhet's mother was able to attend the clinic, feeling relieved upon hearing about potential treatment options. With the church's assistance, transportation was arranged for them to travel to the hospital, and they arrived at our medical partner's center, where they were warmly welcomed. After assessing Japhet, he was diagnosed with clubfoot, specifically in his left foot. He will undergo manipulation and casting to gradually correct the foot's angle, followed by a tenotomy surgery to heal his condition. Thankfully, on June 16th, skilled surgeons at our medical partner, Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre, will perform clubfoot repair surgery. African Mission Healthcare is seeking $935 in funding to cover the costs associated with Japhet's treatment. This procedure will significantly improve Japhet's prospects for a better future. Japhet's mother says, "I hope my child will have the best treatment, and this treatment will make his future life better."

Provia is a 52-year-old mother of three. She went to primary school but eventually had to drop out due to the cost of tuition, but now owns and runs her own retail shop to meet her family’s needs. Her children are all grown now with careers of their own, but her youngest child is currently pursuing a degree in nursing at the local University and Provia is trying to assist her with tuition. Since 2021, Provia has been experiencing severe backaches and abdominal pain. When the pains persisted, she visited a doctor's office and was given medication. This helped her for a while, however, in January and February of this year, she started experiencing more severe lower abdominal pains and other worrying symptoms. The abdominal pains have become so severe and unbearable that she is often forced to stay in bed and is unable to run her small shop. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), was able to diagnose Provia with Chronic Pelvic Inflammatory Disease with endometritis. AMH determined that she needs to undergo a hysterectomy, a procedure in which the surgeons at AMH will remove her uterus. The surgery is currently scheduled for April 14th. AMH is requesting $319 to fund Provia's surgery. Once recovered, Provia will be able to resume her daily activities free of pain. Provia says, “I pray that I may have a successful surgery. I believe I will have another chance to live a normal life again after surgery and be able to continue running my and supporting my family.”

Gerry is a 48-year-old man from the Philippines. He is a dedicated husband and father who works hard as an on-call driver to support his family. For more than 20 years, Gerry has experienced mild abdominal pain. He visited a hospital for medical attention and was supposed to receive surgical treatment. However, due to the hospital's limited capacity and high influx of emergency cases, Gerry's surgery was deferred. As time passed, Gerry's symptoms worsened and he experienced intense pain more frequently. It became increasingly difficult for him to carry out his daily activities, work, and provide for his family. Now, Gerry is once again seeking medical attention. Fortunately, our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP), can help. Gerry visited WSFP's care center where he had another medical checkup. Doctors advised that Gerry undergo a cholecystectomy, the surgical removal of the gallbladder. Now, Gerry is scheduled to undergo a cholecystectomy on June 24th. Philippine Health Insurance Corporation is covering a portion of the cost of the procedure, and WSFP is raising the remaining $1128 to cover the cost of Gerry's surgery and care. Gerry shared, "This free surgery is truly beneficial to us because we are really struggling financially. We have no money to spend for my needed treatment, so I'm so grateful to WATSI and the World Surgical Foundation Philippines!"

Kelita is a single mother with four children, aged 18,14,12, and 8. Kelita shared that she separated from her husband in 2017 because she would not adhere to cultural chieftaincy rules that wives are supposed to follow. Kelita refused to stop going to church; hence her family broke apart, and her husband married another woman. He does not provide support for his children so Kelita works hard to support her family on her own. Kelita sells cooked green maize in the nearest markets, earning about $37.00 per month. She and her four children live in a three-room house without water or electricity. Kelita does extra work in people’s gardens for her family's support and shared that she enjoys eating nsima (ugali) with vegetables prepared with groundnut flour. Kelita was well until 2011, when, after the delivery of her third child, she noted a fast-growing swelling on her neck. She did not seek medical care as there was no pain. As time passed, the swelling grew, but was not painful. In 2021, Kelita started experiencing neck heaviness and breathlessness, frequent coughs, and pains when carrying heavy items on her head. This affected her daily activities and business since she could no longer carry a basket of maize on her head. Kelita stopped her cooking business and relied on doing piece work in people’s gardens to support her family. However, even this is difficult now, as bending has become a challenge. In November 2021, Kelita visited her nearest hospital and was referred to Kamuzu Central Hospital, where an ultrasound scan revealed a bilateral complex mass in her thyroid. Kelita was sent for thyroid function tests but since she did not have the money required for the tests, she returned home to try traditional medicine, to no avail. In July, Kelita met a Partners in Hope (PIH) beneficiary who guided her to visit PIH for potential support from Watsi. On August 14th, Kelita met the surgeon at PIH. After the required tests were completed, a diagnosis of goiter was confirmed. Kelita was told she needed to have a surgical intervention called thyroidectomy, the removal of part or all of the thyroid gland. Due to her financial challenges, Kelita was referred to Watsi's medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, for support. Kelita could smile much bigger after hearing about the planned surgery and committed to a co-pay $27.64 from her savings. Kelita hopes to be well again after the surgical operation. Kelita looks forward to the peace of mind that will enable her to support her children as a single parent. “I need my peace of mind for me to resume my business and be able to carry items on my head again. Kindly help me,” Kelita says.

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."

James is a 13-year-old boy from Muranga County, Kenya. He is the second born in a family of three. James is in fifth grade, and he likes playing football and spending time with his friends. He aspires to become a pilot in the future. We met James at our main hospital, Kijabe, accompanied by a member of his church, Maina, who said “I know James as a hardworking and passionate boy in the church. I spotted him there doing presentations and performances and noticed that he had sustained a burn contracture on his neck which created a lot of discomfort because of the stiffness." James sustained burns when he was a child, which has caused him a lot of discomfort and prevents him from living a fully comfortable life. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping James receive treatment. On February 13th, surgeons at their care center will perform a single contracture release surgery on James; he will be able to move his neck more and be free from the stiffness. He will have a chance at a comfortable life. Now, he needs help to fund this $840 procedure. “Because of the challenges the family has, we are appealing for support to help this boy undergo surgery so he can be set free from neck stiffness and continue with his normal life,” Maina told us.

Meet Salmin, an adored newborn baby from Tanzania and the youngest in his family of four children. His father is a soldier and must spend most of his time away from home, and his mother is a teacher. Salmin was born with clubfoot on his right foot and hyperextension on his left knee. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape, which causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Salmin’s parents want to ensure he receives the best care to grow up to live a healthy and fulfilling life. When they learned about our medical partner’s care center, they brought him in for assessment and treatment. Salmin will first receive non-surgical care that involves gentle manipulation and casting of his right foot. Over the course of several weeks, Salmin’s foot angle will gradually improve; then, he will undergo tenotomy surgery on May 16th. After treatment, Salmin will be able to walk easily as he grows and reaches the walking stage. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is requesting $935 to fund Salmin’s surgery. Salmin’s mother said: “I have been constantly worried since I got news of my son’s condition. I am hopeful that with the right treatment, he will be fine.”