Ofelio is a 54-year-old man from Guatemala. He lives with his family in Guatemala's rural highlands. Six years ago, while working as a construction worker, Ofelio lost his leg after an accident with a woodcutter. As a result, he's had trouble finding a stable source of income to support his family. On July 19, Ofelio will be fitted for a custom prosthetic leg at our medical partner's care center, Hospital Regional de Zacapa. Our medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq, is asking for $1,166 to cover the cost of Ofelio's prosthetic. With his prosthetic leg, Ofelio will be able to walk comfortably and search for a new job. "I am happy to be able to walk again," says Ofelio. "Thank you for the support!"

Eh is a 40-year-old woman who lives with her husband and children in a village in Burma. Eh works as a subsistence farmer on her family's farm, growing rice, beans, and peanuts while also managing a family-owned small shop. Eh had her first child when she was 22 years old. After she gave birth for the first time, she was in immediate pain. A birth attendant helped her to relieve this pain temporarily, but since there was no hospital nearby and Eh worried about the cost of seeking medical treatment elsewhere, she didn't address the pain that returned after each time giving birth. Finally, Eh traveled by foot, car, boat, and bus before arriving at a clinic to receive medical assistance. Eh says, "Sometimes I feel cold and have a headache. When I have a headache, I feel very weak and sometimes temporarily cannot see. My condition makes me very uncomfortable to walk or work and I want to get better soon.” Eh has been diagnosed with a utrovaginal prolapse. Fortunately, she is scheduled to undergo a hysterectomy to repair the condition on September 25. Our medical partner is requesting $1,500 to fund Eh's care.

Talusha is a student from Haiti. She lives with her parents, brothers, and sisters in a coastal town in northern Haiti. She is in the fourth grade and enjoys going to school, especially studying math and science. Talusha has a cardiac condition called atrial septal defect. A hole exists between the two upper chambers of her heart. Blood leaks through the hole, leaving her weak and short of breath. Talusha will fly to Cayman Islands to receive treatment. On November 4, she will undergo cardiac surgery, during which surgeons will use a catheter to close the hole in her heart with a device. Another organization, Health City Cayman Islands, is contributing $12,000 to pay for surgery. Talusha's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep. The $1,500 bill covers labs, medicines, and checkup and followup appointments. It also supports passport obtainment and the social workers from our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, who will accompany Talusha's family overseas. We are also fundraising for her [transportation costs](https://watsi.org/profile/a2d3bef5c7ed-talusha). She says, "I am excited to get to ride in a plane and see a new country!"

Andy is a 12-year-old boy from Dominican Republic. He lives with his parents. His mother works as an office administrator, and his father works as a chef to support their family. Andy enjoys going to school and watching baseball on TV. Andy was born with a series of complex congenital heart defects, including one where his heart valve does not open and close properly, causing blood to back up into his heart. Andy has had several heart surgeries throughout his life to repair each defect and is embarking on his final surgery to replace his mitral valve. On August 31, Andy will be flown to our medical partner's care center, Health City Cayman Islands. Our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, is asking for $1,343 to cover the cost of Andy's transportation from Dominican Republic to Cayman Islands where he will receive heart surgery. Although Andy is not from Haiti, Haiti Cardiac Alliance is collaborating with partners to make his surgery possible. "I would like to share my entire family's gratitude to everyone who is helping my son become healthy!" says Andy's mother.

Hillary is a 26-year-old motorcyclist from Uganda. He lives with his family and works as a small farmer, growing potatoes, cassava, beans, and other local crops for consumption. He grows matooke, a local cooking banana, for income. When not farming, Hillary enjoys watching soccer and listening to music. Before becoming a farmer, Hillary drove a motorcycle taxi for a living. However, about a year ago, he was in an accident that left him with a sore on his ankle. The sore became infected, leaving him unable to continue work as a driver. On April 27, Hillary will undergo orthopedic surgery at Bwindi Community Hospital, our medical partner's care center, to remove the sore and any skin and bone affected by the infection. Our medical partner, The Kellerman Foundation, is asking for $1,205 to cover the cost of Hillary's care. “I would like to thank all the donors for their help," says Hillary. "I pray that they continue to protect me from any evil in my life.”

Only five months old, B. Etabezahu is a cute baby girl who loves to play and laugh with her father. She lives with her parents and sibling in Ethiopia. B. Etabezahu was born with Hirschsprung's disease, a congenital colon disorder. As a result, her bowel functions abnormally. She requires surgery—known as a pull-through—to bypass or remove the affected portion of the colon. B. Etabezahu's parents are very concerned and troubled by their baby’s condition. However, they cannot afford to pay for the surgery that she needs. Her mother works as a civil servant, while her father resigned from his job as a driver to stay at home to take care of the baby. “Our income and expenses are equivalent," shares B. Etabezahu's father. "We raise our children in rented houses...We can’t afford another surgery expense.” $1,500 pays for surgery for B. Etabezahu, as well as an overnight hospital stay, an X-ray, an ultrasound, lab tests, pain medicine, and antibiotics. Her operation is scheduled for March 7. Let's help fund surgery for baby B. Etabezahu!

Kofia is a 25-year-old man from the Central Region of Malawi. He lives with his wife and two young children. He works as a farmer and spends his days tending to his crops and selling his vegetables in the village market. When Kofia is not busy with his farm work, he likes to spend time with his family and go to church. Since June of last year, Kofia has been experiencing pain and discomfort related to an inguinal hernia. A hernia occurs when part of the intestine protrudes through weakened muscle and tissue. This can cause pain and obstruct blood flow. Kofia's hernia has kept him from eating properly and working normally. Our medical partner, World Altering Medicine, has agreed to repair Kofia's hernia. His operation has been scheduled for April 6 and will cost $334. Once his operation is complete, Kofia is expected to make a full recovery, allowing him to take care of his farm and family.

Juana is a two-year-old girl from Guatemala. She lives with her parents and two older siblings. Juana's father works in agriculture, and her mother is a homemaker. Juana is a sweet child who likes to play with her toy penguin and eat beans. Recently, Juana was diagnosed with malnutrition. She has little energy to grow, and her immune system is weak and vulnerable to illness. She is also at risk of chronic disease and delayed development. To improve her condition, Juana will begin treatment on February 20 at our medical partner's care center, Clinic Tecpán. Our medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq, is asking for $762 to cover the cost of Juana's nutritional supplements, physician's fees, and an educational program that will teach her mother how to create nutrient-rich meals using limited resources. "The thing we want most for our daughter is for her to be healthy always. That would be enough for us to be at peace," say Juana's parents.

Asiimwe is a 51-year-old father of three boys and three girls. He is a farm manager, but he has difficulty supporting his family. His wife is unemployed. In 2015, Asiimwe developed a painful swelling in his right inguinal region. He didn’t have money for the hospital, so he resorted to using herbal medicine. He became unable to lift heavy items and walk long distances. A friend of his advised him to seek assistance from our medical partner's care center, Holy Family Virika Hospital. At the hospital, Asiimwe was diagnosed with a right inguinal hernia and was advised to have hernia repair surgery. He will undergo surgery on January 24 for $249. After surgery, Asiimwe hopes to continue working to support his family.

Akugizibwe is a single mother of three daughters and one son. She lives with her children in Uganda. Akugizibwe sells secondhand clothing to support her family. Akugizibwe lived with a painful abdominal swelling for 20 years. Three years ago, she visited a hospital, where she was diagnosed with an umbilical hernia. Part of her intestine was protruding through her abdominal muscles. She was advised to undergo surgery, but she could not pay for treatment. Akugizibwe's pain grew, preventing her from bending over, lifting heavy items, and walking long distances. Her condition affected her ability to work, because she needed to lift heavy luggage. Fortunately, Akugizibwe visited our medical partner's care center, Holy Family Virika Hospital. On December 7, she underwent a hernia repair surgery. $249 will fund the cost of the procedure, including three nights in the hospital. After recovery, Akugizibwe hopes to resume her business, so that she can support her family. She wants to pay for her children's education.

Linet is a two-year-old girl from Uganda. She is the youngest of six children. Her parents, Richard and Sylivia, are subsistence farmers who grow maize, cassava, potatoes, millet, and sorghum. Recently, Linet was diagnosed with an umbilical hernia. Part of her intestine was protruding through the muscles around her naval. Linet enjoys playing with other girls in her community, making dolls out of banana fibers and sticks. However, the hernia caused her pain, discomfort, and loss of appetite. She no longer enjoyed playing with her friends. Fortunately, Linet's parents brought her to our medical partner's care center, Bwindi Community Hospital. There, she underwent a hernia repair surgery on November 12. Linet's parents need help to pay for this $229 procedure. Sylivia hopes that her daughter will return to school soon. “Thank you very much for supporting my girl’s treatment, which I wouldn’t afford. I pray to the Lord to bless you!” she says.