"I dream that my son grows well and becomes a good student," shares the mother of 19-month-old Kevin. Kevin lives with his parents and one younger brother in a one-room adobe house with a tin roof in Guatemala. Kevin loves to play with his toy cars with his brother. His parents want the best for him but, right now, they cannot even afford to give him one egg, fruit, or vegetable per day. That's because his mother works to take care of him and his brother and his father works as a day laborer, making an inconsistent and small income. Kevin is suffering from malnutrition. He is having trouble gaining weight and growing taller because he doesn't have access to the healthy diet he needs. This has made him lose his appetite, and his immune system has grown weak due to the lack of calories and nutrients. He gets sick frequently and, when he does get sick, he often gets dangerously dehydrated and dangerously loses more weight. In the long-term, he could face stunted neurodevelopment, an increased risk of chronic disease, and a hard time getting or keeping a job if he does not receive treatment. Growth monitoring, micronutrient and food supplementation, and deworming medication will help Kevin recover from malnutrition. He will gain weight and grow taller to catch up with other children his age. His immune system will grow stronger with the increased caloric intake, preventing him from having any more life-threatening situations with diarrhea, fevers, and cough. This will further increase his appetite and help him use the extra calories to develop mentally instead of those calories being wasted on getting over frequent illnesses. Kevin's parents will receive support to give Kevin the diet he needs to grow and develop healthily. Intervention now will prevent the future devastating effects of malnutrition, and give Kevin the chance to live a healthy and productive life, finish school, get a good job, and escape the cycle of malnutrition and poverty that made him sick in the first place.

Meet Kisembo, a 31-year-old husband and father of six from Uganda. Kisembo spends his days working as a small-scale farmer to support himself and his family. Five years ago, Kisembo went to the hospital with abdominal pain and swelling in his groin. He had been living with the pain for eight years at that point, but was diagnosed that day with inguinal hernia and instructed to have surgery. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), shares: "If not treated, Kisembo may suffer intestinal obstruction, incarceration, or strangulation." These conditions could become inoperable or cause dangerous infection. AMHF adds that after Kisembo heard about Watsi, he came to the hospital "for assistance and with a lot of trust that he will get treatment." Kisembo has high hopes and plans for life with improved health, AMHF adds. "After surgery he hopes to resume carpentry work, which he had done some time back before he got the hernia so that he can sustain himself and his family." For $220, Kisembo will have surgery to remove the hernia and prevent it from becoming large enough to obstruct his intestines or cause further pain and health risks. Kisembo says, “I have lived with a hernia for a long time. I thank you in advance for the help you are going to give me.”

"When he is feeling good, Gift likes to play soccer for the village team and when he can, watch English premier league soccer on TV," our medical partner, The Kellermann Foundation, tells us. Gift is 18 years old and lives in Uganda. He works alongside his parents on their small farm. They grow ground nuts and other crops, and Gift also helps harvest rice for others to earn money. Recently, Gift's health has been preventing him from living his normal life. For the past few months, Gift has been experiencing pain due to a hernia. He was diagnosed with a few years ago, and he hasn't been able to work since. Gift's hernia causes him considerable pain, and if left untreated, puts him at heightened risk for intestinal strangulation and health complications. Gift is an otherwise healthy young man and the Kellerman Foundation shares that "after surgery, he is looking forward to getting back to work and playing soccer with his team again." For $227, Gift will have his hernia repaired so that it no longer causes debilitating pain, and he can avoid internal complications. Gift says, “I have had the pain for so long and I didn’t know there was help for me. I am so thankful for everyone helping me.”

“When Juma is busy playing with other children he puts a beautiful smile on his face,” says our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). “He likes to clap his hands and since he recently started to walk, he likes to walk a lot.” Two-year-old Juma from Tanzania was born with hypospadias, a genital defect. This means that his penis is bent, and his urinary opening is located on the base of the organ, rather than on its head. This can make urination difficult, and “if not treated, as an adult Juma will have fertility problems,” AMHF details. Juma’s parents cannot afford the surgery he needs to remedy this birth defect. As small-scale farmers of maize and other grains and parents of three other children, “their income is not stable,” says AMHF. $837 covers the cost of hypospadias repair surgery, which will straighten Juma’s penis and extend his urinary channel through the length of the organ, relocating the urinary opening to the head. Funding also includes a ten-day hospital stay for Juma so he has adequate time to recover after the procedure. "I hope my son’s treatment will go well. I wish for him to have a good future and his own family,” says Juma’s mother.

Adriel is a quiet, five-week-old baby girl from Tanzania. She is the only child to her young parents, both university students. At two weeks old, she began vomiting each time she breastfed. And while she weighed 7.7 lbs at birth, she is currently losing weight at a rapid pace. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, diagnosed her with hypertrophied pyloric stenosis, a condition in which the opening between the stomach and small intestine thickens. Adriel will need to undergo mass excision, a surgical procedure that will allow her feed without vomiting. Surgery will cost $920, and afterwards she is anticipated to return to normal growth. Adriel’s father earns a small living doing printing work for the local university, and her mother has moved back home to save money. Together they do not earn enough to cover the cost of the operation that Adriel needs. Adriel’s family hopes to see her in good health. “I love my baby and I pray that she will get well. I long to see her grow up, go to school and become successful young lady,” shares Adriel’s mother.

Johnan is a two-year-old son to subsistence farmers in Uganda, currently living with severe malnutrition. He and his younger sibling, mother, and father all survive off the produce of their harvest, which includes greens, potatoes, bananas, and millet. As secondary income, Johnan’s father lays brick and Johnan’s mother weaves mats for sale. Last year, Uganda went through an unusual harvest season, with a prolonged dry season followed by torrential downpour. The result was the widespread destruction of crops. Johnan’s family is one of many families who are feeling the strain of low crop yield and the associated malnutrition. Johnan has common symptoms of malnutrition, such as lethargy, edema, and diarrhea. However, he also has respiratory distress, and doctors are worried about an underlying cause to his condition. Malnutrition also impairs the immune response, and it is possible that he has contracted a respiratory infection. For $375, Johnan will receive IV fluids with therapeutic nutrition for 10 days, which is enough for Johnan to return to normal development and investigate for other causes of his symptoms. The family has paid $1 towards their sons treatment, but need assistance paying the rest of the costs. “We really appreciate the service you provide and thank you for doing this," Johnan’s mother shares. Johnan’s family looks forward to when he is feeling better, when Johnan can resume playing soccer, fetching water with his mother, and playing with cars made of recycled materials.

11-year-old Deepak lives with his mother and three siblings in Nepal. Deepak studies in class six and his favorite subject is Nepali. He also loves playing cricket. Deepak's father passed away while in India for work, five years ago, so the hardworking family all help their mother a lot. His eldest brother is now 18 and helps his mom on the farm, which is the family's main source of income. Deepak and his younger sister help with the household chores and fetch water from the spring for the house. Recently, Deepak slipped on a wet stone at the spring and took a tumble, hitting his elbow. It became painful and began to swell. Doctors say it is dislocated. Deepak hasn't been able to been able to go to school, play or eat on his own. The family cannot afford treatment for Deepak's painful elbow. Deepak's older brother says "I just hope he gets better here. If we need to take him anywhere else, we don't have any money". $205 is enough to provide the care Deepak needs and stop the pain he is experiencing. He will be able to go to school, play cricket and help his mother at home again. Let's make that possible for Deepak!

Say hello to Sok Nai from Cambodia, an adorable five-year-old boy who loves playing with his friends and three siblings. At one-year-old, Sok Nai was badly burned by a cooking fire. He now experiences trouble moving his hands and legs as his burn scars continue to thicken. The doctors from our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre, can perform contracture release surgery and skin grafts to improve Sok Nai’s function. $300 will cover the costs of Sok Nai’s procedure. Your donation will restore function and mobility to his hands and arms. Let’s make sure this five-year-old has every chance to keep playing as actively as possible!

23-year-old Phanith is an avid pop music fan living in Cambodia, where he works transporting farm workers across the border into Vietnam. When Phanith was young he developed an infection on his face which left him with an abcess. Surgery to remove the abcess altered the structure of his face, something which Phanith is self-conscious about. $300 will cover the cost of reconstructive surgery and will improve Phanith's quality of life. Let's give Phanith the boost he needs to take charge and move forward!

Meet Ganesh, a fifth-grade student in Nepal. Ganesh is at the top of his class, and his favorite sport is volleyball, which he plays with his two siblings. Unfortunately, Ganesh experienced severe second degree burns on his hands and has not been able to go to school or play sports with his friends and family. For $1,415, Ganesh will receive procedures to remove damaged tissue and heal his hands. Let’s give Ganesh the opportunity to take many more exams, and play many more games of volleyball.

Little Sok Lin is a four-year-old from Cambodia. She’s getting ready for school next year, and her mother is worried about her ability to participate. When Sok Lin was born, the nerves in her upper arm were injured. This sometimes can occur during difficult childbirths, and has left her with little sensation and very limited movement in her left arm. If left untreated, it may affect the growth in her arm permanently. The Children’s Surgical Centre in Cambodia stands ready to help with surgery. We’re raising the $375 needed to pay for the surgery and the following physiotherapy she’ll need to get her arm back in working condition. Let’s give her a great start in school, and finally allow her to give her mother a big hug!