Sandra is a bright and curious two-year-old girl from Uganda. When our medical partner's team met Sandra and her mother, she wandered around exploring her surroundings, quickly finding comfort among the people at the hospital's reception area. She’s in a playful growth stage—able to walk, do small things independently, and say a few words like “Maama” (Mum), though she hasn’t yet learned to form full sentences. Sandra is the only child of her loving parents, who care deeply for her and are fully committed to getting her the medical care she needs. Her father does casual work in people's farms, while her mother is a small-scale farmer. The family owns a small piece of land where her mother grows beans, potatoes, and maize—mainly for home use, with a portion sold to earn some income. At home, Sandra enjoys eating posho and beans. When she is upset, a sweet potato snack is often enough to calm her down and bring back her smile. Since birth, Sandra has been having a swelling in her umbilical area. Initially, her mother was advised that there was no cause to worry. However, as Sandra grew, the swelling became more noticeable. She now cries when lying on her stomach and has difficulty passing stool. As the swelling continued to increase in size, her parents grew concerned and decided to seek medical help. At our medical partner's care center, Karoli Lwanga Hospital Nyakibale, she underwent a scan and was diagnosed with supra-umbilical hernia, which occurs when tissue bulges out through a weakness in the abdominal wall, specifically above the belly button. Doctors have recommended a surgical repair to prevent future complications. However, her parents are unable to meet the cost of surgery. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Sandra receive treatment. On April 8th, she will undergo hernia repair surgery, a procedure that will hopefully allow her to live a healthier life. Now, Sandra's family needs help to fund this $230 procedure. Sandra's mother says, "Sandra is the joy of our family and our source of hope and happiness. Anything that affects her deeply worries us. The doctor has informed us that she needs surgery for her hernia, but as her parents, our limited income makes it difficult for us to cover the costs. We kindly seek your support during this challenging time."

Ouksa is a bright and ambitious second grade student from Cambodia who lives with her grandmother. Her parents are factory workers in the city and visit her four times a year. Her favorite subjects in school are Khmer and English. She dreams of being a lawyer when she grows up. At home, she likes to spend her time reading books and playing with her friends. Her favorite foods are fish soup and fried pork. For the past two years, Ouksa has been experiencing a sore throat and difficulty swallowing. This has caused her to have trouble eating and sleeping. She was recently diagnosed with enlarged tonsils and adenoids, which, if not treated, will cause her symptoms to persist and possibly intensify over time. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $265 to fund a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy for Ouksa, which is scheduled to take place on July 11th. Surgeons will remove her tonsils and adenoids, hopefully relieving Ouksa of her symptoms and helping her live much more comfortably. Ouksa says, "I hope I can eat and drink without pain."

Soma Votey is a four-year-old girl with an older brother who is seven and attends second grade. Her parents sell soft drinks outside their home. Soma Votey enjoys watching cartoons and jumping around on the playground. She will start pre-school next year. From five months ago, Soma Votey has been experiencing difficulty swallowing and breathing. She's frequently ill with high fever and a sore throat that makes eating and drinking painful. She was recently diagnosed with enlarged tonsils and adenoids, which, if not treated, will cause her symptoms to persist and possibly intensify over time. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $265 to fund a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy for Soma Votey, which is scheduled to take place on September 1st. Surgeons will remove her tonsils and adenoids, hopefully relieving Soma Votey of her symptoms and helping her live much more comfortably. Soma Votey's mother says, "I hope she will heal and her throat pain will stop so she can eat and breathe easily."

Siv Mean is an active four-year-old from Cambodia who likes to play with dolls and eat her mother's soup. She is the only child in her family and is not yet old enough to attend school. Both of her parents work at a private nutrition company. One month ago, Siv Mean developed a chalazion, or an inflamed cyst in the tear gland of her right eye. This has caused her to experience both swelling and redness. It is difficult for her to see clearly, and she constantly rubs her eye, which makes it worse. Siv Mean and her family traveled for one hour to seek treatment from our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre. On August 9th, surgeons will remove the cyst through a chalazion excision procedure. After recovery, Siv Mean's symptoms should improve. Her family needs help raising $210 to fund this procedure. Her mother says, "I hope after surgery her eye will get better and I won't worry about her eye."

Nikodimos is a beautiful baby boy from Ethiopia who loves to play with his mom. He is three months old and has a ten-year-old sibling. His dad is a photographer who works on capturing events, though his business has slowed due to impacts of COVID. His mom was an elementary school teacher, but after experiencing some sickness in her pregnancy she left her job to prioritize taking care of her health and her baby. Since birth, Nikodimos has had an inguinal hernia. This hernia causes him discomfort and, if not treated, it may result in intestinal tissue damage or death. Fortunately, on March 25th, he will undergo hernia repair surgery at our medical partner's care center. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $512 to fund Nikodimos's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably and confidently. His dad said: “After we came to this hospital, our hope is very high. Our stress decreased. In the near future, I hope he will heal completely and become happy and grow healthy.”

Angel is a 22-month-old girl who lives with her grandparents in a small bamboo house. They source water from a deep well and share electricity with a neighbor. Her mother is a single mother who is a farm laborer. Angel loves to play house. Angel has been diagnosed with severe acute malnutrition. Malnutrition threatens her growth and development and could even be fatal if not addressed. Fortunately, she will begin $268 malnutrition treatment on February 23. Angel will be treated by International Care Ministries (ICM), a Watsi medical partner. One out of five children under five in ICM communities is either severely or moderately 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. Her mother hopes that Angel will gain weight and become healthy. She also hopes that Angel becomes a successful teacher someday.

76-year-old Ruth is a mother of five from Tanzania. Her husband passed away and she currently lives with one of her children. She is a farmer in her small land, providing for her daily upkeep. Ruth began losing her hearing in 2014, but has not had any treatment yet. She was advised to get hearing aids for her case but is unable to raise the amount needed. Ruth recently had hip replacement surgery, which has further constrained her finances. She also has regular hospital visits for diabetes. For $712, we can provide Ruth with hearing aids, allowing her to interact with her children more fully. “I want to have improved hearing to be able to communicate well," Ruth shares.

Like many six-year-old girls, Sheila loves learning and playing with dolls with neighborhood friends. Her favorite food is grilled chicken, and when she grows up, she dreams of becoming a doctor. She has just started attending pre-kindergarten in Guatemala. According to our medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq (WK), “Sheila has had enlarged tonsils for several months that have led to frequent throat infections. These infections cause swelling that is not only painful but limits the ability to breathe easily at night, thus resulting in sleep apnea and snoring.” This condition has been difficult for Sheila, especially since the constant pain affects her ability to concentrate in school. As Sheila’s father is a construction worker and her mother is busy taking care of five children, the family does not make enough money to afford Sheila’s care. For $590, however, we can help fund Sheila’s tonsillectomy—a surgical procedure that will remove her tonsils. “This surgery will allow her to get back to being a normal six-year-old and to have the energy to concentrate in school and continue pursuing her dream of becoming a doctor,” shares WK. “This surgery is simple and safe, and we believe it is just what Sheila needs to get back on track.” “Ever since she was little she has had the desire to study and become a doctor. She even pretends her dolls are her patients,” explains Sheila’s mother. “I want to see her become a doctor too. I think she would be wonderful at it.”