Kar Aung is a one-year-old boy from Burma. One of six siblings, he lives with his mother, father, and older brother on a relative’s farm. His mother hopes that he will become a medic when he grows up. Hours after Kar Aung was born in September 2015, his mother noticed an abnormal growth on his nose. A few days later, she took him to a private clinic, where the doctors diagnosed Kar Aung with nasofrontal encephalocele. This neural tube defect, resulting from a failure of the neural tube to fully close during fetal development, causes protrusions of the brain through openings in the skull. Kar Aung and his mother returned to the clinic four times, at great financial cost. Each time, they received medication, but his symptoms never improved. Finally, Kar Aung’s father contacted our medical partner's care center, Mae Tao Clinic (MTC). In March of 2016, six-month-old Kar Aung and his parents made the long, expensive journey to MTC. Upon examination, Kar Aung was diagnosed with tuberculosis and nasofrontal encephalocele. “I worried that my son will not be cured, as I have never seen kids like this in my village,” Kar Aung’s mother says. “I will always love him." Fortunately, Kar Aung is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on January 13. Our medical partner is requesting $1,500 to cover medications, surgery, transportation, and two weeks of hospital stay. When Kar Aung is fully recovered, he should be pain-free and able to see clearly.

Betelhem is a four-year-old girl from Ethiopia. She loves to play volleyball with her friends. Betelhem was born with a birth defect in a sensitive area. This condition causes her digestive dysfunction. It could also lead to social difficulty as she grows. Betelhem's parents visited four different hospitals before visiting our medical partner's care center. At our medical partner's hospital, Betelhem underwent emergency surgery. Then, on December 29, she underwent surgery to correct the birth defect. Betelhem's family lives in southern Ethiopia, where her parents work as traditional farmers. They sold all of their animals to pay for their daughter's previous treatments. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,500 to fund her care. “I tried hard to get my child treatment," says Betelhem's father. "I have been in other hospitals so many times. But I couldn’t get the necessary treatment. I heard about this hospital and came here. I came here with a big hope."

Judith is a three-month-old girl from Tanzania. When she was born, her mother noticed that she was experiencing digestive and excretory dysfunction. She was taken to a hospital, where she was referred to our medical partner's care center, Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre, for treatment. Judith was diagnosed with anorectal malformations. In other words, the end of her digestive tract did not develop properly. Without treatment, she is at risk of infection, pain, discomfort, and possible obstruction. Fortunately, she is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on January 9, supported by our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). Judith's mother is unable to pay for the treatment. She needs help to raise $1,500.

Zuleina is an 11-month-old girl from Guatemala. She loves to eat papaya and scrambled eggs. She has been diagnosed with acute malnutrition. This means she has little energy to grow, and her immune system is weak and vulnerable to illness. She is also at risk of chronic disease and delayed development. Fortunately, Zuleina began malnutrition treatment on October 27, 2016. Zuleina lives with her family in a cinderblock house with a tin roof. Her father works as a bricklayer, and her mother weaves traditional Mayan textiles. While Zuleina's parents want the best for their daughter, their resources are already stretched thin. They cannot afford to pay for Zuleina's $512 treatment. While malnutrition can have devastating effects, it is also very treatable. Growth monitoring, micronutrients, and food supplementation will help Zuleina recover. She will gain weight and grow taller to catch up with other children her age, and her immune system will grow stronger. Community health workers will teach her mother about creating a nutrient-rich diet from limited resources. Treatment will give Zuleina a chance to grow healthy and strong. "I am hoping for my daughter's development to improve," says her mother. "I want to see her in the future as a healthy student." She also hopes that Zuleina graduates "so she can have better opportunities than we had."

Meet Lauriyano, a 62-year-old retired nature guide from Uganda. Lauriyano and his wife have three children, and he works hard growing tea to support his family. Lauriyano is a selfless man, according to his medical team. Recently, Lauriyano was hit by a car while riding on a motorcycle to go to train farmers in another sub-county, where tea growing was not yet embraced. Lauriyano sustained a fractured femur, but now is unable to afford the surgery he needs to recover. Lauriyano hopes to resume his visits in his community to help more people with farming knowledge after his treatment. He also hopes to go back to church and serve as he did before the accident. With $534, Lauriyano will undergo surgery to realign and repair his fractured femur. With this operation, he will soon be able to walk again and resume his role in the community. "I want to thank everyone that is supporting my health care bills and also the other patients in this hospital. God bless you abundantly," Lauriyano said.

Meet Isingoma, a 29-year-old father from Uganda. “Six years ago Isingoma noticed a swelling on his right scrotum,” shares our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). “Since then, the swelling has been increasing in size. He has severe pain, which sometimes makes it impossible for him to walk properly.” Isingoma has acquired a hydrocele, a swollen scrotum, which makes it difficult for him to dig or lift heavy objects. He previously worked as a laborer in the fields, but due to his condition he is unable to work or make any money. Isingoma has two children, a son and a daughter. His son is in primary school and is being supported by his grandmother, Isingoma’s mother. $215 will fund Isingoma’s hydrocele repair, where AMHF doctors will drain the excess fluid in his scrotum. This will also cover the costs of Isingoma’s medication and hospital stay. If healed properly, Isingoma will experience an improved quality of life. He will no longer experience pain and will be able to return to work in the fields to provide for his family. After his surgery, Isingoma hopes to make money to start a business of buying and selling bananas.

Meet Alex, a 17-year-old student from Kenya who lives with his two younger siblings and mother. Alex has a condition called retro torticollis, a neurological movement disorder that makes him unable to support his neck. He experiences chronic neck pain which makes it extremely difficult to concentrate in school. “My son has suffered for so long," Alex's mother says. "I long for the day his neck problem will be fixed. I pray that it happens soon so that he can be relieved of this pain.” For $1,200, we can pay for Alex to receive a surgery that will release the nerves in the stiff muscle. This will reduce pain, allow Alex to support his neck, and let him continue attending school and playing with friends. Let's fulfill his mother's hope and give Alex the healthcare he needs!

Meet Durga, a caring 45-year-old woman in need of medical care. She lives with her 15-year-old granddaughter in Nepal, while her husband and three sons live in India. She and her granddaughter look after a small field, which only yields enough for six months of the year. Recently, Durga stumbled on a stone while carrying water from the well to her home. Unfortunately, she fractured her right knee, making it extremely difficult to move. Despite her own physical injury, Durga told our medical partner that her main concerns are about her granddaughter's annual exams coming up in school. Durga doesn't want her granddaughter worrying about her health while she is busy studying. For $1040 we can cover the cost of surgery to correct Durga's knee. Let's come together and help this selfless woman be mobile again!

Meet Rupa! She's interested in local and international politics, and wants her son to become a health specialist. She also has kidney stones, which she can't afford to have treated. Rupa, who herds animals and farms for a living, started having pain on her side six years ago. The discomfort makes it difficult for Rupa to walk, let alone care for her livestock. The procedure to remove the kidney stones to prevent urinary tract infections and further damage will cost $765. Let's fund her treatment so she can get back to living a healthy life!

Sebastian is a 33-year-old man who lives with his wife and six young children in Guatemala. For two years, a debilitating mass has been growing on Sebastian's neck. The swelling in his face has made breathing difficult for him. He has also lost most of the functionality in one of his arms. Our medical partner believes it is likely that Sebastian's condition is lymphoma, a treatable form of cancer. However, Sebastian and his wife have been turned away from multiple hospitals because they are unable to afford medical care. For $1,500, we can help Sebastian receive surgery and chemotherapy to remove his tumor and eliminate any present cancer, allowing him to return to work and take care of his family.

Surja is a 40-year-old woman living in Nepal. She has been dealing with uterine prolapse for the last five years, a painful condition which prevents her pelvic muscles from providing adequate support for her uterus. Surja's husband passed away fifteen years ago, and she's had difficulty supporting her 16-year-old son since. The last five years have presented an even greater challenge because of her condition. Her labor-intensive tasks at work include breaking rocks and carrying heavier loads - impossible to carry out in her current condition. Despite these hardships, Surja remains hopeful. She wants to get healthy and continue caring for her son. For $1,165, we can fund Surja's surgery so she can regain the ability to work and support herself and her son!

Diego is a lively eight-year-old living in an area in Guatemala that has recently been deeply affected by mudslides. The entire community is currently living in temporary housing with no regular medical care. Diego was born with microtia, or deformed ears. While this does not impact his hearing, it is extremely cosmetically deforming and a source of great embarrassment at his tender age in development. Wuqu’ Kawoq is not charging Diego's family for the procedure to fix his ears. Therefore, they are only asking for $400 from Watsi to cover transportation, lodging, and lab fees. This simple plastic surgery will greatly improve Diego's self-esteem and enable him to move into adolescence with confidence!