Hannah is an elderly woman from a small village in southwestern Kenya. She is a widow and is currently living with one of her daughters since her fall. Before then, she was able to stay on her own and do a bit of farming in her shamba to sustain herself. Hannah recently had a fall and sustained a closed fracture of the femur of her right leg. The fracture was repaired three weeks ago, but the plate in her leg was dislodged after she tried to walk. Now it is difficult for her to walk and she is in severe pain. The surgeon recommended a repeat ORIF (open reduction and internal fixation) procedure to help her heal. Hannah's family is not in a position to raise money for this treatment, and the insurance coverage which paid for her first surgery will not pay for the care she now needs. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On July 7th, Hannah will undergo an ORIF procedure. This procedure will help reduce her pain and she will be able to walk easily once she recovers. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,049 to fund her procedure and medical care. “I used to stay on my own but now I am depending on my children, who are also busy with their families. I kindly request for help so that I can eventually be independent again,” said Hannah.

Seven-year-old Sharon lives with her parents and younger brother in Kenya, and loves to sing songs of worship. “Sharon was enrolled in nursery school three years ago but had to quit when she began experiencing headaches and instability when walking," our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), tells us. "Upon examination, she was found to have a brain tumor. Sharon was treated and resumed school in 2014.” “Since May 2015, Sharon had to quit school again because she started experiencing fits, slurred speech and lost her ability to walk or stand unless she holds on to something,” AMHF continues. “Sharon has been suffering severe headaches and inability to walk, persistent vomiting, and sleepiness for the last couple of months.” Sharon’s current symptoms indicate that the tumor is getting larger, and she will need to undergo a craniotomy to remove the tumor from her brain. “As the tumor in Sharon's head grows and pressure inside her head increases, this could lead to decreased cardiac and respiratory function, unconsciousness and ultimately death,” AMHF explains. “In addition, it can also result to visual impairment if not treated.” Sharon’s parents work on their tea farm, but the seasonal tea crop does not provide enough money to pay for the family’s basic needs. Family members and friends helped them cover the costs of Sharon’s initial treatment, but no funds are available for her ongoing care. $1,260 in funding pays for surgery for Sharon as well as 10 days of inpatient care after surgery. “We hope that after Sharon is treated, the tumor will not recur and she will no longer have dizzy spells and headaches and have a stable gait,” says AMHF. “She will be able to go back to school.”

Meet Fostina! She is a sweet, ten-year-old girl from Zambia who “was nothing but healthy and brought only joy to her family” for the first six of years of her life, according to our medical partner CURE International. Then, at age six, her family began to notice a slight bow in her legs, but doctors had high hopes she would outgrow the condition. The opposite happened. Now at ten years of age, her legs are severely bowed out and far beyond the ability of her local doctor to correct. "Fostina has trouble walking," her doctors say, "which is extremely painful, awkward, and embarrassing. This also causes stress on other joints in her ankles and hips and she has experienced social difficulties due to her very noticeable disability, because her culture largely believes in curses.” Thankfully, Fostina was referred to our partner, CURE International. Fostina has already had one successful surgery, thanks to Watsi donors. She needs our help to fund her final operation. For $1000, Fostima will receive a proximal tibial osteotomy, which will correctly realign her legs. She is expected to recover fully; she will walk out pain-free and with a new source of confidence.