Meet Tigwezire, an 87-year-old woman living in Uganda. A widow, she has six children—three boys and three girls. One of her sons chased her away from the piece of land that had been left to her by her late husband. She is now living with her youngest son, who is unemployed. Tigwezire is unable to do manual work because she has been feeling weak. For some time now, Tigwezire has had a swelling in her right inguinal area (in the lower abdomen). About three months ago, she also started feeling pain in that area whenever she walked or turned in bed. She was brought to the hospital by a neighbor who had surgery in February 2016 supported by Watsi. At the hospital, Tigwezire was diagnosed with an inguinal hernia, meaning that part of her intestinal tissue has pushed through her abdominal wall. If not treated, Tigwezire could suffer intestinal obstruction, incarceration or strangulation—life-threatening complications where part of the intestine becomes cut off from blood flow or bowel passage. Tigwezire has avoided seeking help for her condition because she lacked the money to pay for treatment, and says her children and grandchildren will not help pay the bills. But we can help. For $220, we can sponsor the hernia repair surgery that Tigwezire needs. After surgery Tigwezire hopes to live without hernia pain and to be able to go to Church on Sundays. Let’s help make that a reality for Tigwezire.

Say hello to Shailande, a 20-day-old baby from Haiti who was born with a condition called an omphalocele, a birth defect in which the infant's intestine or other abdominal organs stick out of the belly button. “There is no skin covering part of her abdomen, which needs to be closed by surgery. Her intestine remains outside of her abdomen and her navel has become infected, causing her to experience abdominal pains,” explains our medical partner, Project Medishare. Shailande is the youngest of four children. Her mother sells food, and her father is only able to do random jobs in their zone of Cite Soleil, one of the poorest and most dangerous areas in Haiti. With their combined income, affording medical treatment is not possible. For $1,500, Shailande can finally have the surgery necessary to close her abdomen in addition to the antibiotics that can heal her infection. “I am excited to see the deformation gone and see my baby’s belly healed,” says Shailande’s mother. Let's make it happen for them!