“I would like to go to school like my brothers,” says Zakia, a four-year-old girl from Tanzania. One of eleven siblings, Zakia dreams of being able to run, play, and attend school like the rest of her siblings. She is limited, however, by genu varum—a misalignment of the knee joint and femur which not only makes it difficult for her to walk, but also causes her severe knee pain. Genu varum is common in Tanzania due to high levels of fluoride in drinking water. Treatment involves a long-term process of casting, surgery, and physiotherapy. Zakia’s parents are small scale farmers, but with a large family to look after they have been unable to raise the money needed for her treatment. $940 will support her complete stay in both the hospital and Plaster House, a rehabilitation facility that specializes in postoperative care for children. With treatment, “Zakia’s gait will improve and the chances of her developing early osteoarthritis will greatly decrease,” says our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). She will be able to play like other children her age and will be able to attend school just like her brothers.

"Allan is a bubbly and likable three-year old boy," says our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). "He has a twin brother and an elder sister who is twelve years old. They live with their parents in a three-room house in their paternal home. His mother is a shop attendant while his father is a casual worker on construction sites." Allan was born with hypospadias -- his urethral orifice is abnormally placed and he has an irregular stream. His family was advised to seek specialized care, but they cannot afford the $1,155 cost of treatment. Surgery will restore normal function, as well as lower Allan's risk of developing urinary tract infections, and infertility in the future. “I pray that God will not with hold His mercy from us. May his love be with our son through this," Allan's mother shares.

"We knew for a long time that Jefferson had a problem, but we didn't know what it was,” Jefferson’s parents share. “We're so glad to know what's wrong, and that there is a way to fix it!" The first-born child to office workers in Haiti, three-year-old Jefferson is an intelligent boy who asks a lot of questions and is learning to read. Jefferson’s parents have not put him in preschool yet due to a congenital heart condition known as tetralogy of Fallot. The condition involves a combination of related defects, including a hole between two chambers in the heart that results in blood passing through without being oxygenated. The lack of oxygen in the blood can cause Jefferson to faint, feel weak and be prone to sickness. Without treatment, tetralogy of Fallot can be fatal. Health City Cayman Islands is subsidizing Jefferson's heart surgery, and Watsi donors can support Jefferson with $1,500 to cover the overseas travel expenses and medical preparation he needs before surgery. “Following surgery, Jefferson should be able to lead a normal life with near-normal blood flow through his heart, and no ongoing risk of death from this condition,” explains our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance. “He will probably never need another surgery in his life.”