“Seam developed a cataract in each eye three months ago,” our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC) tells us. Seam a 75-year-old grandmother to 11 grandchildren. At home in Cambodia, Seam spends her spare time doing housework and watching social news. Cataracts begin to interfere with vision as proteins develop on the lens of the eye, causing cloudiness. “This causes Seam to be partially blind and experience irritation,” explains CSC. “She can’t see everything clearly, do work well, or go anywhere outside.” To seek treatment, Seam and her daughter travelled for three hours to get to CSC. For $225, doctors at CSC will perform a 45 minute procedure to replace the affected lenses with clear, artificial lenses. The funds we raise will provide for the surgical costs, medicines, and hospital stay for Seam. After 1-2 days of recovery, Seam will be able to see clearly again. With her sight restored, Seam will no longer be bothered by the irritation and will be able to be active and independent again. “I hope my mother can see everything clearly again so she can easily do any work and go anywhere by herself and I won’t worry about her becoming blind anymore,” shares her daughter.

Meet Sofia, a 17-month-old girl from Guatemala. Sofia is cared for primarily by her grandmother while her mother works cleaning houses to earn money to support her daughter. Sofia’s father abandoned them right after Sofia was born, and her grandfather passed away some years ago. Her mother is dedicated to building the best life possible for her child but says that they simply don’t have enough money to even afford 1 egg per day for her. As a result, Sofia lives with acute malnutrition. "Sofia has struggled with stomach infections and malnutrition since she was little," says our medical partner, Wuqu' Kawoq (WK). "She was born in the hospital and ever since she started to eat solid food she has experienced pain afterwards. This has made her not want to eat and as a result she is losing weight. She has a diarrhea and a cough. Her grandmother and mother are extremely worried because they cannot afford food other than tortillas and squash. Her immune system is weak and as a result she has lost weight and is not growing well. Without intervention she will face the long-term effects of malnutrition and be at risk for other acute illnesses." For $512, WK will provide comprehensive malnutrition treatment for Sofia. "This treatment will supply Sofia with the growth monitoring, micronutrient and food supplementation, and medication for her to recoup some of the weight and height she has lost, and treat the gastrointestinal infection causing her diarrhea and frequents coughs. Her mother and grandmother will receive intensive nutrition education thus building their ability to care for Sofia and her siblings throughout her childhood. Intervention now will prevent the future devastating effects of malnutrition, and give Sofia the chance to live a healthy productive life." “She is the light of my life," her mother says. "I want to do everything I can.”

“Num is married with one son, six daughters, and eight grandchildren,” our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), tells us. “She is a sugar and corn farmer. She spends her free time doing housework and taking care of her grandchildren.” Num has had a cataract in each eye for the past year. Cataracts form as proteins develop on the lens on the eye, causing it to cloud. The cloudiness in Num’s eye has caused her to go partially blind. As a result it is difficult for her to do work or go outside by herself. After hearing about the clinic on the radio, Num and her daughter have traveled to CSC to seek treatment. For $225, doctors there can perform an operation to remove the cataracts. In a short, 45-minute procedure doctors will make an incision to remove the clouded lens and replace it with a new, artificial lens in each eye. Watsi funding will cover the costs of the surgery, supplies, and medicines necessary for the surgery and post-op care. After 1-2 days of recovery, Num will see clearly again. Num is looking forward to having her vision and independence back. “I hope I can see everything clearly so I can continue my work on the farm and can easily go anywhere outside on my own,” she shares.

Sophearith, a 31-year-old electrician from Cambodia, was struck by a car in March 2015 and sustained fractures of his left femur and distal tibia. "My family has to spend time taking care of me since the accident,” says Sophearith, who enjoyed playing football before his injury. “I can't go to work." Our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), tells us, “Sophearith was treated at a local hospital for two months, but the surgery was unsuccessful. He now walks with crutches and still has a femoral neck fracture in his left leg.” The femoral neck is the top portion of the thigh bone, just below the ball-shaped end (head) that connects to the pelvis to form the hip joint. Fractures of the femoral neck frequently disrupt the blood supply to the femoral head and can lead to serious complications, including the breakdown and death of the bone tissue and failure of the fracture to heal. For $405, “Sophearith will have an open reduction and internal fixation procedure, and a dynamic hip screw will be put into place,” explains CSC. “He will be able to walk properly again.” Funding also covers the cost of a two-week hospital stay, five days of post-operative care (including physiotherapy), and six follow-up appointments during the first year after surgery. “I hope after the surgery, I can work properly again and can support myself and my family,” shares Sophearith.

One-year-old Darwin is from rural Guatemala. "Darwin is the first and only child in the family. He loves to play with his uncle Aldair who is roughly the same age as Darwin. Together they play with toy cars and little plastic balls," says our medical partner, Wuqu' Kawoq (WK). "Darwin is suffering from malnutrition and is already showing signs of developmental delays," WK says. "At 13 months he is not babbling or walking. His energy is generally low, but when he does have energy his mother says that he laughs often. Darwin’s appetite is low. He has struggled with reoccurring diarrhea, but his mother says that she is not able to afford medication." "He is far below the weight and height for his age, and our staff worries that if we don’t intervene soon his immune system will decline and he will be at higher risk of infections and illnesses, such as pneumonia," WK says. "He will be unable to develop to his full mental potential, thus limiting his ability to concentrate and go far in school. Without support, later in life Darwin will be at higher risk for chronic illness such as diabetes and hypertension." For $512, we can fund comprehensive malnutrition treatment for Darwin. "This treatment will allow Darwin to avoid the permanent effects of malnutrition. He will recoup the weight and height he has lost and begin to catch up developmentally to his peers. Deworming medication will remove the gastrointestinal infection causing his diarrhea, and he will have the chance to grow to his full potential," WK says. "He will receive nutritional support, thus allowing his brain to grow and develop normally. His immune system will strengthen and he will have more energy. His mother will be given the educational tools to prevent malnutrition in any future children she may have, and better care for Darwin and continue his treatment even after he has completed 6 months of our nutrition program. With Watsi donor support, we believe this child will fully recover." “I just wish that my son can grow well, and be healthy," his mother says. "I want him to study in school and graduate to get a profession.”

Omary is a soft spoken, 17-year-old boy living in Tanzania. He likes to play football, and "used to be very competitive before his bones got weak," shares our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). Omary's knees gradually started to bend inwards when he was in class seven. Omary has bilateral genu valgus, which means his knee joints and femurs are misaligned. "This condition has affected Omary’s gait and he is at risk of developing osteoarthritis at a young age if not treated…for years, his parents have tried to look for ways to help their son, but nothing helped," AMHF says. With $940, Omary can undergo an operation that will combine casting and surgery to realign his bones and joint, straighten his legs, improve his gait, and reduce the risk of developing early osteoarthritis. Currently, Omary helps his parents with farm work and herding cattle as much as he can, but he hopes the surgery will allow him to keep playing football, and pursue his desire to join the army.

Joshua is an 11-year-old aspiring engineer from Kenya. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF) reports that as a result of a congenital condition called hypospadias, “Joshua’s urethra is abnormally located on the under-side of his penis.” Due to this condition, passing urine is difficult and painful. Without treatment, Joshua is at high risk of developing urinary tract infections and may be unable to father children in the future. AMHF tells us, “Joshua’s mother sells second hand clothes while his father hawks toilet paper rolls. The family was forced to flee from the coastal region due to insecurity. Joshua’s parents’ daily average income is six dollars, which barely fulfills their family's needs. Thus, they are not able to raise the funds needed for Joshua’s surgical care.” In addition to the physical side effects Joshua is living with, he also must deal with his classmates bullying him for his condition. With $655 in funding, Joshua will receive surgery to move the opening of the urethra to its correct position. Let's help make it happen!

Meet Lidia, a 28-year-old mother from Guatemala. Lidia has three children, the youngest of whom is eighteen months old. She enjoys playing with her children and cooking. Lidia has severe rheumatoid arthritis, our medical partner, Wuqu' Kawoq (WK), shares. "She is currently bed ridden and her muscles are so inflamed and joints are so swollen that she can no longer walk, sit-up by herself, or even hold her head up without the help of a pillow. She is in constant pain, and can no longer work." "As her condition worsened she became unable to care for her three children, and so she moved in with her parents who live in a rural village. Her children moved with her, however her husband had to stay behind in the city where they lived in order to work to support their children and Lidia." $425 allows Lidia to undergo treatment and regain her quality of life. "Lidia will work with her team to do specialized lab work and start with immune suppressive medication that will significantly reduce the inflammation she is currently experiencing," WK shares about her treatment. "After some time with these medications we anticipate that Lidia will not only have the strength to walk and sit on her own, but also she will be able to care for her children and move without being in constant pain." Lidia is eager to return to her daily life and looks forward to a bright future with her family. She shares, “I just want to make sure my children are cared for.”

“Sara is a very malnourished little girl from a poor town in Guatemala,” our medical parner, Wuqu’ Kawoq (WK) tells us. "She is a happy child of two very loving parents. She loves to sit with her mother while she weaves blouses. Her dad works as a farm hand and is home in the evenings to play with her.” Despite being a generally happy child, Sara has been dealing with health complications since she birth. Sara was born with an imperforate anus, meaning that her colon and anus were not properly connected. Her family has been waiting for a year for surgery to repair the problem. “However, now Sara is suffering from acute malnutrition and is losing weight because her family is poor and cannot afford more than beans and a corn drink,” WK tells us. “She has been suffering from frequent diarrhea and if she keeps loosing weight she will not qualify for surgery, and will lose her long awaited surgery date.” Sara needs to be strong for the surgery to correct her imperforate anus. She also needs to have good nutritional health to have good health prospects in the long-term. Without addressing her malnutrition, Sara will not only lose her surgery but will suffer serious consequences of malnutrition. She will suffer low energy, weak immune system, chronic illness, and have a high risk of infection. Each of these factors will impair her ability to reach her physical and mental potential, making it difficult for her to succeed in school. With $535, Sara will be seen by doctors and nutritionists to address her malnutrition. They will provide treatment including nutritional support, growth monitoring, and medication to help her recover her health. “This treatment will give Sara a chance to recoup her weight and height, gain the nutrients she needs to grow normally, and strengthen her immune system,” reports WK. “Her energy will increase, and she will have the capacity to learn more effectively from her surroundings.” This funding will also serve to provide Sara’s parents with nutritional education to give them the tools to support their family’s long-term nutritional health within their budget. Her mother is committed to seeing Sara get healthy. “I will do what it takes to make her well,” she shares. Let’s support Sara and her mother in getting Sara’s health back on track.

Zar Win is a resourceful 27-year-old woman who lives in a small village in Burma. She attended school until fourth grade but had to drop out to help support her family. Her parents work as subsistence farmers and grow enough rice to eat. When Thu Zar was 10-years-old she developed encephalocele, a sac of neural tissue that pushes outside of her skull. This condition causes her face to swell, her vision to blur, and causes her severe pain when she looks down for more than 10-15 minutes. Our medical partner, Burma Border Projects, tells us, "Currently, she cannot cook or do any household chores because she cannot look down for long periods of time as the pressure is too painful. She can only feed the animals on their farm or prepare food for the family." Zar Win says, “I want to be a normal girl and, when I become healthy, I would like to start sewing again. I haven’t been able to look down at the sewing machine for a long time. I want to work hard, save money, and help my parents.” With $1,500, we can make this dream a reality by funding surgery to remove the mass from Zar Win's face.

This is Ny, a 20-year-old woman from Cambodia!! "Ny makes rice with pork, chicken, and noodles that she sells in a stall in the market," our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), tells us. Ny also likes to watch Khmer music shows on television. When Ny was born, she had a squint in her left eye. "She is very sad that everybody makes fun of her and calls her 'cross eye,'" CSC explains. For only $290, we can provide Ny with treatment to correct her left eye and enable her to see clearly. "She wants to feel confident," Children's Surgical Centre says. "and not be shy so customers will come and buy food from her."

Meet Daneth, a five-year-old girl from Cambodia who enjoys playing dolls with her younger sister. Daneth currently has a burn contracture on the back of her left knee. This area of damaged, tightened skin, “makes it very difficult and painful for her to walk or sit or do any motion that involves bending her leg,” says our medical partners at Children’s Surgical Centre. “The scar also makes her shy.” Daneth’s parents explain that Daneth “loved to run outside and play before her injury, but now that hurts her so she sits inside almost all day.” For $240, we can fund a procedure to remedy the burn contracture and give Daneth “a better range of motion in her knee and far less pain.” Let’s help Daneth get back to her active childhood!