Eunice is a 58-year-old woman from Malawi who works as a nutritionist for the government. She raised her eight children as a single mother. She currently lives with her grandchildren and oldest daughter. In her free time, Eunice enjoys reading the daily paper, watching films, and singing gospel songs with her church. Last April, Eunice began to experience uncomfortable symptoms in a sensitive area. The pain of her condition caused her to miss work. Unfortunately, she was diagnosed with cervical cancer. On November 10, she underwent a hysterectomy surgery. Eunice is unable to afford this $643 procedure. When she learned about Watsi, she was overjoyed. She is excited to return to her job and her family. "I am very thankful for what this has done for me," Eunice says. "This is God's intervention."

Yahaya is a 28-year-old husband and father of two boys who lives in Uganda. He has a great sense of humor, and he is happiest when he is with his wife and children. Yahaya started feeling pain and swelling in his left scrotum that makes him very uncomfortable, especially when walking. He also feels pain when he touches the swelling. The pain and swelling are due to a hydrocele, a sac of watery fluid around one or both testicles that causes swelling in the scrotum or groin. The fluid comes from the abdomen and travels along the same paths that the testes follow when they descend into the scrotum before or shortly after birth. Hydroceles occur at any age, and their cause is generally unknown. Yahaya visited a government hospital where he was referred to Holy Family Virika Hospital for surgery. However, Yahaya did not go to Virika because he was unable to pay for his treatment. For $185, Yahaya will undergo a hydrocele repair to decrease the scrotal swelling. Funding also covers the cost of a three-night hospital stay, an ultrasound scan, and medicine to prevent infection. Yahaya looks forward to a successful operation and a promising future. “I plan to start a business so that I can settle with my family,” he shares.

Sila is a middle-aged-man who is battling a pancreatic cyst. He is a father to three children aged 15, 13, and three. Two of his children are in primary school and live with their grandparents as Sila is not able to provide for them. His wife does not work, making Sila the sole breadwinner of the family. He has been working as a casual worker with a shoe making industry doing odd jobs, however, he had to stop in mid-July 2016 due to his medical condition. Sila's family lives in a single roomed house and are currently relying on friends to meet their daily needs. In August 2015, Sila had an operation done to remove a growth in his lungs and liver. He recovered and went back to work. However, in the beginning of July 2016, he noted some swelling in the former surgical point and decided to seek medical advice. He was given some medication and with no improvement, he came to our facility. Sila has been diagnosed with pancreatic pseudocyst and is in need of urgent surgery. For $620, AIC Kijabe Hospital will perform surgery to remove Sila's pancreatic cyst. Sila shares, “I want to be treated and go back to work to help my family”.

Lae Lae is a 40-year-old woman who lives in Burma. She lives with her husband, 18-year-old daughter, 14 year-old son and 12-year-old daughter. Lae Lae first experienced gynecological symptoms in September of 2014. Her present symptoms include pain in the abdomen, back and lower body. She is unable to work as she is easily overcome with fatigue due to lack of sleep. She also suffers from chronic hypertension and late onset diabetes. In addition, her appetite decreased, resulting in loss of weight. She is concerned about her condition as it is quite painful. She has been confirmed by ultrasound and physical examination to have a uterine mass. Lae Lae is disappointed that she cannot fulfill her chores as a mother and housewife. Her husband has taken on more of the chores such as cleaning, cooking and looking after the children. His salary is not sufficient to meet all of the family’s expenses so he occasionally borrows money from a moneylender at 20% interest. They are unable to save money or meet major medical expenses. In her intake interview, Lae Lae said: “I hope to regain my strength so I can be the mother that my family needs. If I fully recover, I have ambitious plans to buy land and open up a shop selling dry goods."

Catherine is a 24-year-old woman from Kenya. "Her mother separated from her father and thus has been raising Catherine and her siblings alone," reports our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). "Catherine dropped out of school after completing eight classes due to lack of school fees. She works as a house help to earn a living." "Catherine has been having hearing problems since she was a little girl of age five. She was not able to access hearing aids due to lack of funds," continues AMHF. "Catherine has difficulty communicating. She is not able to perceive sound well and often requires one to shout or repeat conversations. This affects her daily interactions with people. When Catherine came to the hospital for treatment, hearing aids were recommended, but Catherine is not able to meet the full cost." With $712, Catherine can receive the hearing aids necessary to improve her hearing capability. "If not assisted with the hearing aids, Catherine will have poor sound perception and will continue having poor communication and social interactions," explains AMHF. Catherine shares, “My wish is to get the hearing aids and be able to establish my own tailoring shop." Let's help make it possible!

This is 17-year-old Srey Nith, a former student who loves to read books. Srey Reth lives with her parents and sister in Cambodia where, as a child, she began to notice discharge from both ears. This discharge was accompanied by hearing loss and tinnitus--a condition causing a constant ringing in the ears. “The condition disrupts my life so I stopped my studies because I can’t hear the teacher clearly,” shares Srey Nith. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), shares that after Srey Nith stopped going to school, "she stays at home and helps her mother take care of the house." Srey Nith's neighbor received treatment at CSC and recommended that she visit them as well. For $809, Srey Nith will undergo a mastoidectomy procedure to remove any diseased mastoid air cells from her ears. This operation will eliminate the discharge and prevent further hearing loss. Srey Nith shares, "I hope after the operation the ear discharge stops and I have good hearing. I want to go to school with my friends.”

Meet Yin, a 34-year-old mother of three from Burma. Yin is married with one son and two daughters. “She works as a market vendor selling fruits and vegetables, and her husband is a rickshaw driver. They have never been able to save money, because it is very expensive to send their three children to school,” reports our medical partner, Burma Border Projects (BBP). “Despite the financial barrier, Yin insists on making sure her children are educated, because she was only able to attend school until grade 3 and wants more for them.” Yin was born with congenital heart disease, a defect in the heart’s structure that results in loss of normal function, and eventually heart failure. “Yin first learned of her condition when she was 17, but never sought treatment because she knew she could not afford it,” continues BBP. “Yin’s condition causes her to experience weight loss, dizziness, severe heart palpitations, fatigue and chest pains. She finds she needs to rest for longer and longer periods after physical activity, and the financial burden of disease is causing her stress.” “In August 2014, her symptoms became so severe that she took a loan of 500 USD from a money lender and went to see a doctor who told her she would need surgery,” explains BBP. “Yin has been unable to work for the past year and worries about how she will pay back her loans.” For $1500, Yin can receive a complex cardiac surgery that will correct the congenital heart defect and fully resolve her current symptoms. This cost covers the procedure, hospitalization (x-rays, medication, laboratory testing, meals), transport, and pre and post-surgery outpatient visits. Yin remains positive and looks forward to a bright future. “Yin plans to go back into business after treatment and sell goods in many different markets,” says BBP. “Her dream is to one day run her own company. She believes that treatment will allow her to be a better wife and mother.”

"Since 2010, Jane has been suffering from this condition. She went to a hospital and a scan was done which showed she has uterine fibroids and required surgery to treat," says our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). "However, Jane did not have money for treatment." 44-year-old Jane is a single mother of three children from Kenya. She works as a tailor, but her small income is not enough to cover any additional expenses beyond basic needs. Jane needs a total abdominal hysterectomy to treat her uterine fibroids, and we can help make it possible. The surgery will cost $790. Included in the cost is Jane's hospital stay, meals, laboratory testing, imaging, and anesthesia. "I have been in pain for a long time and it is having a negative effect on my small business," Jane shares. "I look forward to the day when I will get well and be able to work and support my family.”

"Stella was burnt when a kerosene lamp fell on her in August last year," shares our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). "Her mother did not take her to a hospital and instead used traditional medicines to treat her burns. When a local pastor visited the home, he found Stella with the inner thighs joined by scar tissue. She could not pass urine." Stella is a 10-year-old girl from Kenya. She is the second born child in a family of five, and her mother works as a fruit vendor at their local market. Her father passed away, leaving Stella and her siblings in the care of their mother and grandfather. As a result of her incident, Stella has burn contractures in her lower abdomen and upper thighs. She has difficulty walking and maintaining a straight posture. “If surgery is not done, Stella is likely to develop back problems due to the constant bended posture she is in," says AMHF. For $1125, AMHF will perform a contracture release surgery that will subdue tension in Stella’s pelvic region and help it properly heal. Stella has already undergone a first surgery funded by a local church that released her thighs, however, her family is not able to raise the additional funds needed for this treatment. Stella shares: “I want to be a doctor when I finish school so that I can help the people in my village to receive care."

"When I had the accident, I was very afraid that I would never walk again. I thank God that I can now walk with crutches and I know that one day I will walk on my own again," says a very optimistic Beatrice, who was recently hit by a car that lost control and drove into a nearby shopping center. 36-year-old Beatrice is married and has three children. She runs her own business in Kenya, buying beans from farmers and selling them at the market. Beatrice’s business does quite well, and she was even able to purchase a few goats with her savings. However, our medical partners at Africa Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF) tell us that Beatrice no longer has any savings and has sold her goats. "She has not been able to work since then [the accident] and has had 2 procedures on her leg. This has left her in debt and she is not able to meet the cost of the bone transport that she now needs." Beatrice is currently fitted with external hardware to support her bone and if not treated soon, she could develop a severe infection that could require amputation of her leg. Bone transport surgery will cost $1,500. Help Beatrice avoid these serious complications and be on the road to recovery!

"Hannah had an accident when she fell at her homestead and since she lives alone, she remained in that position for three days," says our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). 74-year-old Hannah is a widow from Kenya who lives and works on a small farm. After she fell, her neighbors found her and took her to the hospital, where she was diagnosed with a fractured femur. "Hannah could not even afford to pay for transport to the hospital. She simply cannot afford to pay for the cost of this treatment that she desperately needs," says AMHF. Treatment for Hannah's fracture will cost $1,125, and is vital for Hannah's ability to walk and care for herself. This treatment will include surgery to repair the fracture in her femur. "The bones may refuse to unite if treatment is delayed for too long," AMHF tells us. Let's make sure Hannah's treatment is not delayed any longer, and help her get back on her feet.

Say hi to Susan, a 56-year-old woman from Kenya! According to our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), “Susan is a mother of six. Her husband abandoned her and her children almost 10 years ago. Only one of her sons is employed while the rest are casual laborers. Susan depends on two cows and a small vegetable garden for her daily needs.” “Susan injured her hand while cutting grass for her two cows,” explains AMHF. She severed a tendon and now has severe nerve damage from the cut. Without treatment, she will permanently lose the use of her hand. For $1075, Susan will receive tendon and nerve repair so that she will be able to use her right hand and palm again. Susan says, “My daughter and her three children live with me and depend on my farm for their needs. I want to get well so that I can continue taking care of my cows.” Let’s help Susan regain her health and take care of her family!