Meet Esther, a 13-year-old girl, from a village in Kenya who is in need of treatment for genu varus, a knee condition that impacts her ability to walk. Her aunt told us that Esther likes reading and is very active at home. She helps her mother in doing household chores. Esther came to the hospital with her aunt, her grandmother, and a friend from the village. They told us that her mother could not make it to the hospital since she has a young child and she also has a disability on her feet. Esther is the oldest in a family of two children, with her family hailing from a village in Machakos County. Her mother is a housewife while her father is a farmer. They shared that their family lives in a two-roomed mud-house. Esther was born a healthy child, however at the age of one years old, her family noticed un unusual bowing of her legs. She could also feel pain. Since then her condition has continued to worsen. Currently, Esther is a sixth grade student. She often feels pain while walking, she cannot walk far or carry heavy loads. Her self esteem has also been very low which has affected her studies as well. Surgery will be of great impact to her because she will be able to walk, continue with her education, help her mother, and most of it all her self esteem will improve meaning she will be able to interact with other children comfortably. “If there is any kind of help to help our girl, we will gladly appreciate it,” Esther’s aunt told us.

James is a young man from Kenya. He is single and works as a bus conductor on the Kiambu-Nairobi route. He is on a daily contract and earns an average $3 depending on the day. For the last three months, he has been jobless following the government COVID-19 restrictions that are in place. James shared that his mother is elderly and depends on farming for upkeep. His father passed on years ago. On the 22nd of July, James accidentally hit a brick wall when the vehicle lost control while he was driving the bus to work. James was injured in the accident and fractured his hip. He is now in chronic pain and cannot walk. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On July 29th, James will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. This procedure will help him walk easily again. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,094 to fund this procedure. James says, "I will be happy to get help so that I can get back to work and help my elderly mother who depends on me.”

Thoeun is a 37-year-old monk from Cambodia. He is the oldest of eight siblings who are all married and live elsewhere. He normally lives with other monks, but his parents are taking care of him while he is injured. He reads books every day, prays and does house work. Two months ago, Thoeun fell from a hammock, resulting in a compression of his spine. He soon began to feel weakness and numbness in his legs. Now he cannot stand or walk, and occasionally feels acute pain in his lower back. Fortunately, our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), can help. Doctors will perform a laminectomy, a surgical procedure that removes a portion of the vertebral bone called the lamina in order to relieve pressure on his spine. Once he has recovered from the procedure, his nerves will function normally and he will be able to walk. Our medical partner is now asking for $1,500 to help cover the cost of his surgery. Thoeun shared, "I hope that I can soon return to my duties as a monk. I can't stay with my parents and make them take care of me anymore. When I get better I want to thank them and take care of them in return."

Annah is a farmer from Kenya and a single mother with two children. She is a maize farmer and shared that life is difficult for her and her family. Annah is a strong woman who has taken care of her two children and has never lost hope despite the challenges she faces as a single mother, being the breadwinner for her children and providing an education for them. She lives in a mud house with grass roofing with her two children. On May 10th, Annah was hit with a blunt object after a quarrel with a neighbor over farmland. She visited a nearby facility near where her arm was splinted and she was asked to visit a better facility to do an x-ray and assessed by an ortho specialist. Annah was referred to our hospital but she was unable to come due to lack of finances at home. Two weeks later, Annah has come to the hospital as her condition was getting worse. Her hand is swollen, has pain, and she can’t do any duties at home. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On May 26th, Annah will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. She will heal and no longer be in pain. Annah will also be able to work again. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $848 to fund this procedure. Annah shared, “I love my children; I am worried that they might stay without food. I hope I will heal soon so that I can continue providing and supporting them.”

Catherine is a 17-year-old student from Tanzania, the youngest in her family of three children. She is currently in Form Four and hoping to graduate secondary school this year. She is a shy but bright young girl. Catherine’s father is a construction worker and her mother owns a shop at their home where she sells day-to-day household stuff. Catherine has been diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain and increases intracranial pressure. As a result of her condition, Catherine has been experiencing headaches for the past two weeks continuously. She was originally taken to the hospital and was tested for a UTI and malaria but found to have nothing wrong. Her headaches got more severe, followed by vomiting and irritability and could not control her urination. Her family was told to do a CT scan test but the surgeons were not satisfied with the results and needed to do an MRI. The MRI showed that there is build up of CSF fluids causing pressure in her brain and the doctors shared that Catherine needs surgery as soon as possible. Without treatment, Catherine will experience severe physical and developmental delays. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,238 to cover the cost of surgery for Catherine to treat her hydrocephalus. The procedure is scheduled to take place on April 29th and will drain the excess fluid from Catherine's brain. This will reduce intracranial pressure and greatly improve her quality of life. With proper treatment, Catherine will hopefully develop into a strong, healthy young girl. Catherine says, “I would really like to get better and continue with school. Please help me get well.”

Aung is a 15-year-old novice monk from Hpa-An. He lives with other monks in the monastery. His parents own a piece of land where his father and oldest brother grow vegetables and fruits for sale. The family also grows vegetables for their own consumption. He was born with encephalocele and it was the size of a fingerprint. It grew bigger over the years and was the same size for the last three years before receiving surgery in 2015. He also suffers from hydrocephalus and he received ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VP) in 2016. Two months ago, Aung developed headaches and his head has grown bigger on the right side. At that time, his father bought medicine from the pharmacy to reduce his headaches. He took it for two days, but he did not feel better. Later on, his father took him to Hpa-An hospital where he received a blood test and x-ray. The doctor suggested his father to take him to Yangon but his father returned to Mae Tao Clinic (MTC) in Mae Sot instead of going to Yangon. On February 25th, he arrived at MTC and he was referred to Watsi Medical Partner's Care Center Mae Sot Hospital to be seen the next day. At MSH, the doctor recommended a CT scan, which Watsi donors have also generously supported, and with these results Aung's father was told that doctors need to replace Aung's VP shunt as the previous shunt from 2016 is blocked. Aung’s father said, “I am very worried for him as he is my son and I hope that he will be healthy as soon as possible. In the future, I want him to be a monk for the rest of his life. Because I know my other older sons will not take good care of him as he is not a healthy boy. If he stays at the temple, he can be able to sleep and eat regularly."

Soe is a father of three children from Thailand. He and his family relocated to a refugee camp in 2007 due to conflict between armed groups around their village. Although his family receives a small ration at the camp, it is not enough, so Soe does gardening and farming at a nearby Thai village to bring extra income for his family. Whenever Soe has free time, he loves to play cane ball or helps his wife with their household chores. On January 11th, when Soe was coming home from work with his friend on his friend's motorbike, the brakes failed when they were going downhill. The accident caused a fracture in the small bone located in front of his right knee joint. He is in pain and it is difficult for him to walk without using crutches. With the help of our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, Soe will undergo surgery to reset his fractured bones and ensure proper healing. The procedure is scheduled for February 20th and will cost $1,500. After this treatment, Soe will be able walk again without any assistant devices. This will also allow him to get back to work so he can provide for his family. Soe said, “I am desperate to be able walk again and work for my children. I cannot imagine how life would turn out if I could not walk anymore.”

Chit is a 39-year-old woman from Burma. She lives with her daughter, mother-in-law, and her sister-in-law’s three children. Her husband has recently left the village to work in Bangkok so he could increase his income, especially since her condition has worsened. Since she became ill, she feels bored because she is unable to work. Around five months ago, Chit started to feel unwell with a stiff neck, headaches, and pain in her right eye. Soon after, she noticed that the black part of her right eye started to move inward toward the middle of her face, becoming crossed eyed. As soon as she noticed a change in her right eye, she went to a hospital to see a doctor about her condition. At the hospital, she underwent a CT scan of her head which showed normal findings. Therefore, the doctor just gave her an injection and oral medications. A week later, she decided to go see a local medic in her village because she felt like the medications were not helping. The medic looked at her medical test results, assessed her and said she might have a neurological condition. The medic gave her oral medication and another injection. She took the medication she received from the medic, and her symptoms subsided gradually. Chit's symptoms disappeared completely about 20 days ago, but this only lasted around 10 days because she noticed that the black part of her right eye had started to become white and the rest of her eye, normally white, started to turn red. She bought eye drops at a local medication stall, but they did not help. A few days later, she learned about Mae Tao Clinic (MTC), a charitable clinic, from one of her nephews. On January 11th, Chit visited MTC regarding her condition, and a medic explained that unfortunately her eye was not functional anymore and that it needed to be removed due to a severe infection. The medic also explained that if her right eye was not removed, the infection could spread to her left eye and cause the same problem. MTC then brought Chit to Mae Sot Hospital (MSH) and the doctor there confirmed that her eye needs to be removed as soon as possible. Chit said, "It's upsetting to know that I need to have one of my eyes removed. But then, I feel that since the eye is bad, there is no sense in keeping it. In the future, if possible, I want to get a prosthetic eye."

Robdu is a beautiful and playful baby girl from Ethiopia. She was born with an anorectal malformation, a birth defect where a child has an imperforate anus or they have no opening in their anus. She developed bowel obstruction because of the condition and an emergency colostomy was done. She has also had multiple issues with her colostomy care, requiring constant hospital visits. She is planned for PSARP in our facility to correct the congenital defect. Robdu and her two brothers live with their parents in Ethiopia. Her father relies on subsistence farming to make ends meet while her mother is a housewife. They do not have funds required for the surgery and so appeal for financial assistance. Robdu is scheduled to undergo surgery to correct her condition on December 31st. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of Robdu's procedure and care. After her recovery, Robdu will no longer experience bowel dysfunction or be at risk of developing health complications in the future. Her dad said, “I hope she will get well. And it is my dream to educate her and see her achieving so big in her life.”

Dina is a pretty little girl from Kenya. She is the 4th born and last born in the family. the family hails from Nyamakoroto village in Nyamira county. Her mother is a single parent who works as a casual laborer in a tea farm within the locality. Dina has clubfoot of her left foot. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, Dina traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, AIC Cure International Hospital. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on December 01. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,224 to fund Dina's clubfoot repair. After treatment, she will be able to walk easily. "I will appreciate any kind of assistance enhanced to make my daughter walk without straining. Thank you so much,” Josephine, Dina’s mother told us.

Sokni is a 19-year-old factory worker from Cambodia. He has seven other brothers and sisters, and enjoys playing soccer and going for walks with his friends around the village. In July 2019, Sokni was in a motorcycle accident where he injured his left shoulder. He has been diagnosed with a brachial plexus injury on his left side. The brachial plexus is a nerve network that transmits signals from the spine to the shoulder, arm, and hand. Injuries to this nerve network can result in loss of function and sensation. He has lost sensation in his elbow, has pain every day, and cannot move his arm without difficulty. Sokni traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On October 04, he will undergo a brachial plexus repair surgery. After recovery, Surgery will allow Sokni to be able to use his arm again and no longer have any pain.. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $637 to fund this procedure. Sokni said, "I hope that after surgery, I will not have any more pain or difficulty moving my arm and I can return to my work at the tire factory."

Salome is a child from Kenya. Salome is a shy girl aged six years from Uplands, Limuru Kiambu County. She likes to play a lot with friends and is also very responsible. She is the last born in a family of six children and in pre-primary class 2. Their mother separated with the father leaving the six of them under her care. Life has not been easy because this mother is just a casual laborer at neighbor’s farms. On Sunday 15th September Salome was sent to the shop by her mother, which was a normal thing for her. Unfortunately as she went to the shop she was hit by motor cycle and sustained open fracture tibia and femur of the left leg. It is difficult for her to walk, and she is in chronic pain. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On September 23rd, Salome will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. This procedure will help her walk easily again. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $998 to fund this procedure. “I don’t have anyone to turn to and yet I feel for my daughter. I hope to get help so that she can be able to walk again and continue with her school. This will also relieve her from the severe pain she is experiencing” said Salome's mother.