Seang is a silkmaker from Cambodia. She has five sons, six daughters, and 22 grandchildren. She likes to read about Buddha and spend time at the pagoda. One year ago, Seang developed a cataract in her left eye, causing her blurry vision, itchiness, tearing, burning, and photophobia. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, and going anywhere outside. When Seang learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for one hour seeking treatment. On October 18, doctors will perform a phacoemulsification surgery and an intraocular lens implant in her left eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $211 procedure. She says, "I look forward to seeing my loved ones' faces again and leading an independent life."

Samuel is a baby from Haiti. He lives with his mother and grandmother in a neighborhood of Port-au-Prince. His mother is a market vendor but has been staying home to care for Samuel since he was born. Samuel has a cardiac condition called severe pulmonary valve stenosis. One of the four valves of Samuel's heart is too small, causing blood to back up into his heart. If untreated, this could become fatal. Samuel will fly to Cayman Islands to receive treatment. On November 8, he will undergo cardiac surgery, during which surgeons will perform an open-heart procedure to cut the valve open and increase its size. Another organization, Have a Heart Cayman, is contributing $12,000 to pay for surgery. Samuel's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep. The $1,500 bill covers labs, medicines, and checkup and followup appointments. It also supports passport obtainment and the social workers from our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, who will accompany Samuel's family overseas. His mother says, "I have been very worried about my son's health since he was born, and I am very happy that he is getting the help he needs!"

Emily is a ten-month-old baby girl from Guatemala. She is an active child, and she loves to play with her toy ball. She is the eighth child in her family. Her father works as a day laborer, while her mother takes care of the family. Emily has malnutrition. It's a dangerous condition, resulting from consuming too little protein, calories, and nutrients. In the short term, malnutrition means Emily has little energy to grow. As a result, her immune system is weak. This leaves her vulnerable to illness that further compromises her growth. While malnutrition can have devastating effects, it’s also very treatable. Our medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq, is requesting $492 to provide Emily with the nutritional supplements she needs. She will gain weight and grow taller to catch up with other children her age. Her immune system will grow stronger with the increased caloric intake. Community health workers will teach her mother about creating a nutrient-rich diet with limited resources. Emily’s mother says, “Because we are of scarce resources, it is often difficult to provide our daughter with enough food. I hope my daughter grows well, and in the future can study, so that she can have a better life.”

Min is a six-year-old boy from Myawaddy, Karen State, Burma. He has cataracts in his right eye. Min’s mother works as a cleaner in Myawaddy, while Min’s father works as a taxi driver. One year ago, Min’s mother noticed small white spots around his right pupil. She asked him if he was able to see clearly out of his right eye. Min said that he was unable to see clearly and that it was blurry. Min visited our medical partner’s care center, Mae Sot General Hospital, where surgeons confirmed that Min required surgery of the right eye. Min’s mother was very worried, as she was unable to afford the treatment for Min. On June 8, Min will undergo bilateral lens replacement surgery. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund this procedure. The requested $1,500 pays for surgical materials, medication, and eight nights of hospital stay. Min’s mother says, "I am very worried about my son’s ability to see and hope that he receives surgery and will be able to live a long and healthy life."

Nambafu is a seven-year-old boy from Uganda. He is studying in grade one at Rwimi Parents Primary School and wishes to study medicine in the future, so that he can treat people's ailments. Nambafu is the only child to his single mother and currently lives with his maternal grandmother and uncle, after his parents separated. About five months ago, Nambafu's grandmother noticed that Nambafu's left testis was bigger than the right. Immediately, his uncle took him to a nearby hospital to be examined. The doctor at this hospital diagnosed the condition as delayed development. As such, the doctor advised that Nambafu wait six months before acting. Four months later, Nambafu's uncle noticed that the swelling had increased. Another uncle in the family then recommended that they visit our medical partner's care center, Holy Family Virika Hospital, where he was diagnosed as having a left hydrocele. Nambafu's mother continues to search for a paying job, while working as a hospital volunteer in eastern Uganda. She finished university with a degree in ICT, but she is finding it a challenge entering the job market. Nambafu's uncle says, “Nambafu is in need of surgery, but we are unable to pay for it.” On May 3, Nambafu will undergo left hydrocele surgery. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $185 to fund this procedure. The requested $185 pays for surgical materials, medication, and three nights of hospital stay.

“We are so grateful for the help you are giving our grandchild,” shares Hope, a woman from Uganda. “We could not afford to pay for his treatment ourselves.” Hope’s three-year-old grandson, Brandon, lives with her and her husband. Brandon is an active child—he enjoys running around with the other children in the village and is currently learning to play soccer. However, Brandon’s love of sport could eventually come to an end if he doesn’t undergo treatment for a congenital medical condition. Brandon was born with genu varum, or “bow legs.” Although this condition often corrects itself naturally, this was not the case for Brandon. If his bowleggedness is not treated, he may experience long-term physical repercussions, such as pain in his hips and knees. To avoid these outcomes, an orthopedic specialist has advised Brandon’s grandparents that he needs to undergo surgery to correct his bowleggedness. His operation will take place on March 19. However, Brandon’s grandparents cannot afford this procedure on their own. We can help this family by raising $351. This will pay for Brandon’s surgery, as well as his lab tests and five-day hospital stay. “I look forward to taking him to school next year and seeing him develop normally,” Brandon’s grandmother shares.

Baraka is an 18-month-old boy from Tanzania and the only child in his family. Baraka is a Swahili name that means "blessings." When Baraka was born, he was indeed a blessing to his parents, who had wanted a child since they were married. At birth, Baraka's mother noticed that her son was experiencing unusual symptoms. He was diagnosed with hypospadias, an abnormal condition in a sensitive area. This condition causes Baraka difficulty urinating and can lead to complications later in life. Baraka will undergo corrective surgery on January 25. Baraka's parents work on a small farm in a rural village, and they cannot afford treatment. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $837 for the surgery.

Rizza is a three-year-old girl from the mountainous region of Negros Oriental in the Philippines. She loves to play with her two siblings and other neighborhood children. One of her favorite games is hide-and-seek. Her parents are both farmers and work long hours to provide for their family. Rizza has been diagnosed with severe acute malnutrition. "I hope she will recover," says her mother. Our medical partner, International Care Ministries, is requesting $268 to cover the cost of an in-home feeding program to treat Rizza's malnutrition. This will pay for nutrient-enriched food packs, weekly visits from medical staff, and health education for family members. Rizza is scheduled to begin treatment on February 21. After treatment, she will return to playing hide-and-seek.

Saroeun is a 62-year-old grandmother from Cambodia. She is married and has three sons, two daughters, and ten grandchildren. She likes to chat with her neighbors, look after her grandchildren, and join ceremonies at the pagoda. One year ago, Saroeun developed a cataract in each eye, causing her blurred vision, tearing, extreme sensitivity to light, and cloudy lenses. It is difficult for her to see things clearly, and she is worried about going blind. Saroeun knew about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), because her neighbor had surgery there before. She traveled for three hours with her daughter to reach CSC for treatment. On January 9, she will receive cataract surgery. Surgeons will use an ultrasonic device to break up and remove the cataracts. They will then implant an artificial lens in each eye. After the surgery, Saroeun will be able to see clearly again. CSC is requesting $292 to fund this treatment. "I hope that I can see more clearly," says Saroeun, "so that I can sell things from my home and look after my grandchildren easily. I want to be able to go anywhere by myself."

Doreen is a 17-year-old young woman from Uganda. She is the seventh of nine children. Her parents are subsistence farmers, and they also pick tea to support the family. Unfortunately, Doreen dropped out of school because her family could not afford school fees. Doreen visited our medical partner's hospital, Bwindi Community Hospital, when she was expecting her first child. Doctors considered her a high-risk pregnancy, and they encouraged her to deliver in the hospital, where health workers could intervene if any complications arose. On November 11, Doreen checked into the hospital to await delivery. Our medical partner, The Kellermann Foundation, is requesting $241 to fund her care. Doreen's mother has encouraged her to attend prenatal clinics, where she has been counseled about motherhood. When she met with our medical partner, she was excited to have a new baby. For three months, she has been saving money to buy her child new clothes. She hopes that he or she will have access to education. . “I do not have a lot saved to pay for me to have a hospital delivery," says Doreen. "I want to thank the people that donate to Watsi to support my delivery. May God reward you double of your support!”

Khom is a 55-year-old rice farmer from Cambodia. She likes to watch Khmer dramas on television and listen to the news on the radio. Khom developed a cataract in each eye about one year ago, causing her blurred vision, tearing, irritation, and photophobia, or extreme sensitivity to light. She has difficulty seeing objects, recognizing faces, doing her work, and going places by herself. To seek treatment, Khom traveled two hours to a facility run by Watsi's medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC). On October 26, doctors at CSC performed a small incision cataract surgery on each of Khom's eyes, removing her clouded lenses and replacing them with clear, intraocular lens implants. Khom requires financial support to cover the $292 procedure. After recovery, she will be relieved of her symptoms and be able to see clearly again. "I hope that I can see more clearly than now so that I can continue my work in the rice fields, do housework, and go anywhere by myself," says Khom. Let's help fund this operation for Khom!

Princess Angel, a five-year-old girl, lives with her parents in a small house made with wood in the Philippines. Her father is a laborer therefore income is very unstable. Because her mother is part of ICM's Transform program, Princess Angel was found to be severely malnourished at one of the health screening sessions. She is now part of the Home-Based Feeding program, on her road to recovery. One out of five children under 5 in ICM communities is either severely or moderately acutely 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 the additional food to regain normal weight, and achieve optimum physical and mental development. After identifying a child being 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. "I hope that she will recover from malnutrition," said Princess Angel's mother.