Ko Ko is a three-year-old boy who lives with his parents and his siblings. His father and oldest brother are agricultural day labourers while his mother looks after him. Ko Ko enjoys playing with his toys and playing football with his brothers. He also enjoys watching movies on his mother's phone. When Ko Ko was one year old, his mother noticed a small white spot on his right pupil. She did not know what had caused the spot, but did not think it was serious. In December, Ko Ko’s mother asked him to give her a cup of water, but when he stood up he called out that he could not see where the water was, while trying to feel his way with his hands. Currently, Ko Ko is only able to recognize light. He needs his mother to guide him, and help him with tasks such as eating and showering Doctors want Ko Ko to undergo a CT scan. This scan will hopefully help doctors diagnose his condition and formulate an appropriate treatment plan. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $414 to cover the cost of Ko Ko's CT scan and care, scheduled for February 3rd. Ko Ko's mother said: "As a mother, I worry about him and I want to give him everything so that his vision can return, but I do not have money to pay for his treatment. Thank you so much for your kindness and for helping my son. May the goodness you have shown us return to you and may you be successful.”

Tol is a 51-year-old rice farmer with one son, one daughter, and five grandchildren. Tol lives with her eldest daughter who also works as a farmer. In her free time, she enjoys watching the news on television and listening to the monks pray on the radio. Two years ago, Tol developed a cataract in her left eye causing her blurry vision, sensitivity to light, and tearing. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces. She is also worried about falling when walking, so she is not able to go places on her own. When Tol learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled far across her country for eight and a half hours seeking treatment. On February 9th, doctors will perform a phacoemulsification cataract 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 $229 procedure. Tol shared, "I hope I can see well again so I can return to planting rice and crops and playing with my grandchildren."

Manh is a 37-year-old construction worker. He is married and lives with his wife, who also works in construction. Manh enjoys watching Khmer boxing and hopes to be more active again once his eye is better. Four years ago, Manh developed a pterygium in his right eye, causing him irritation, itchiness, and discomfort with his appearance. Pterygiums are non-cancerous growths of the conjunctiva, a mucous layer that lubricates the eye. The growths occur when the conjunctiva is exposed to excessive sun damage and the cells grow abnormally over the pupil. He has difficulty seeing things clearly, working, and going places outside. When Manh learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for two hours seeking treatment. On November 8th, he will undergo a surgical procedure to remove the abnormal conjunctiva from the cornea surface and replace it with a conjunctival graft to prevent recurrence. The total cost of his procedure is $216, which will cover medications, supplies, and inpatient care for two days. Manh shared, "I hope after surgery my eye irritation stops so I can go to work easily and not worry about my eye anymore."

Movin is a 14-year-old social and jovial boy. Movin likes playing football with his friends. His favorite subject in school is English; he aspires to be a doctor in the future to help those who need surgical care, mostly those with physical conditions. Movin is the 5th born in a family of seven children. His mother is a housewife while his father is a farmer. Their family lives in a two-roomed grass-thatched and mud traditional house in a village in Kenya. Movin was born with bilateral clubfoot deformity. This condition has affected his mobility, he gets tired easily, feels pain out of straining, falls whenever he plays football, and cannot put on shoes well. Movin needs surgery, however, his family is not in a financial position to finance the surgery and they are appealing for financial assistance. Fortunately, Movin traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, AIC Cure International Hospital. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on December 6th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,286 to fund Movin's clubfoot repair. After treatment, he will continue with his education uninterrupted in pursuit of his dream of being a doctor. Movin says, “I would like my foot to be treated so that I can walk like my friends and continue with my education.”

Nita is a 31-year-old seller of Khmer beverages. She has a 6-year-old daughter. Her husband works for a company in the capital city of Phnom Penh in Cambodia. When not caring for her family, she likes to exercise, read books, and listen to music. A year ago, a mass started growing on Nita's right mandible, which she originally thought was a wisdom tooth. She visited a local hospital for a biopsy, and she was diagnosed with a low-grade mucoepidermoid carcinoma. She experiences pain and discomfort. She is scared she will be permanently disfigured or might die. When Nita learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for two hours seeking treatment. On December 6th, surgeons at CSC will perform a mandibulectomy and extensive facial reconstruction to to rid her body of the tumour and avoid permanent disfigurement. Now, she needs help to fund this $657 procedure. She is hopeful that the tumor will be removed and she will quickly heal.

Hiek is a mother of four with two sons, two daughters, and now many grandchildren. She sells roast beef sticks from a mobile cart, but now she cannot go outside to sell due to her vision problems. She lives with her older son who is a motor-taxi driver. Her husband passed away ten years ago due to hypertension. She likes to visit her neighborhood pagoda and help to care for her grandchildren. One year ago, Hiek developed a cataract in her right eye, causing her cloudy vision, sensitivity to light and glare. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, and going anywhere outside. When Hiek learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she and her son traveled there seeking treatment. On February 1st, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in her right eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $229 procedure. "After surgery I hope I can see well, I will be able to take care of myself, and help my son to look after my grandchildren. I look forward to visiting my pagoda and having more independence," Hiek said.

Meet Willy, a 54-year-old man from Kenya who is a father and primary school teacher. He had also been the primary provider for his parents, especially funding their treatment costs as they are sickly. Willy's wife operates a small grocery shop from which she gets a low income. Willy had cardiac complications in November 2015 and had to stop teaching. In February 2016, Willy was taken to a general hospital and had a CT scan and an MRI on his head that indicated he has a pituitary tumor. He was referred to Kijabe Hospital and was scheduled for surgery to remove the tumor. He is therefore appealing for Watsi's financial assistance so that he can undergo this surgery. Willy experiences painful head migraines. He previously had a stroke and his memory has been failing consistently, and his vision has been partially impaired too. Since February 2016, Willy has had poor vision and memory loss. He thus cannot do any work or communicate well. With the stroke affecting him, his state has been affected adversely. Willy needs a craniotomy to remove the tumor, which costs $1,205. If not treated, Willy risks having total memory loss, the head migraines will persist and there is risk of the tumor increasing. He may also become totally blind. Allan, Willy's son said: “I want my dad to be well again and to continue providing for our family.”

“If I can only get well again! I hope to expand my small grocery business so that I can support my children better; I am their only hope,” shares Jane, a 39-year-old woman from Kenya. Jane is a single mother and sells vegetables at the roadside near her home to support her two children. Since May 2014, Jane has been experiencing continuous and irregular uterine bleeding caused by noncancerous tumors, or fibroids, in Jane's uterus. Due to the bleeding masses in her uterus, Jane is now at risk for severe anemia. The fibroids will continue to grow, affecting surrounding organs. Doctors at our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), have recommended a total abdominal hysterectomy, a surgery Jane is unable to afford. We can fund a successful surgery for $790. “We expect after a total abdominal hysterectomy, Jane will recover completely,” describes AMHF doctors. “She will be relieved from the excessive bleeding and the growth of the fibroids will be stopped.” Let’s help Jane move forward with her life!

“I had planned on attending nursing school this year, before the accident happened. I hope to still fulfill my dream and become a nurse one day,” says Jane. Say hello to Jane, a 21-year-old woman from Kenya with a right tibia fracture. "Earlier this year, Jane was in an accident that left her unable to walk without support. Since then, she has already undergone four surgeries but is now in need of a bone transport," our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, tells us. Jane is the ninth child in a family of ten. Although none of her older siblings are employed, they have seen each other through school and always ensured that they had their basic needs met. While her siblings have worked hard to meet the costs so far, they are no longer able to raise enough money for their sister’s next treatment. $1,500 can help alleviate this family's financial strain and pay for Jane's procedure. Without our help, Jane’s leg could get severely infected and may even need to be amputated. Watsi donors, let’s make sure she gets the treatment she needs!

Say hello to Millicent, a 30-year-old expectant mother from Kenya! According to our medical partner, Lwala Community Alliance (LCA), “Millicent is a hard-working farmer and a loving and caring mother of two children. Her husband earns money to feed their family by selling second-hand clothes at a nearby local market." However, the family's income is not enough to pay for prenatal care and a safe delivery for Millicent. Millicent is currently experiencing pain in her lower abdomen as a result of her pregnancy, which “prevents her from going to the farm and even cooking for her children." With proper prenatal care, Millicent will be able to alleviate her current abdominal pains, allowing her to continue farming and cooking without any discomfort. For just $290 Millicent will receive the prenatal, delivery, and postnatal care required to get rid of her current pains, and to ensure a safe delivery. Let’s help Millicent raise her children pain-free, and give her new baby a healthy start!

This is Sim, a 60-year-old mother of six and grandmother of ten. She lives in Cambodia with her large family. In her free time Sim likes to go to the pagodas in her village and listen to the monks speak. Of course, she also likes to spend time with her family! Sim’s journey to Watsi began over a year ago, when she started to lose her eyesight. She now has cataracts, a clouding of the lens inside the eye. Cataracts are the most common cause of blindness, and if left untreated, Sim will eventually become completely blind. Sim says that she is unhappy that she can no longer see well enough to recognize things, and sometimes experiences pain. She wants to be able to see her family and work to support them. For $100, Watsi donors can help this loving mother and grandmother. Your donations will fund surgery, which should improve Sim’s eyesight, prevent blindness and reduce her pain.

Say hi to Marion, a 22-year-old mother of two from Kenya! Marion is expecting her third child. She and her husband grow corn, beans, potatoes, and sugarcane on a small plot of land. To make extra money, they also pick up odd jobs and work on neighboring farms. Marion is pregnant and currently participating in a maternal and child healthcare training program. She has learned valuable skills, including how to treat water before drinking it and how to prepare nutritious meals with locally grown produce. She has also learned about the benefits of delivering under the care of a medical attendant, rather than at home. She has decided she wants to deliver in a hospital. Marion's hard work earns her enough to feed her children and send them to school, but access to a health care facility to ensure the safe delivery of her baby is a challenge. For $215, we can give Marion access to a health facility with trained staff, reduce the risk of complications, and help her toward a safe and sound delivery.