Evas is a 34-year-old mother of two children who is expecting her third baby soon. Prior to the Covid-19 lockdown that closed schools, Evas worked as a school nurse at Kabale University. Now, she has been farming at home to provide food for her family. Her husband works as a taxi driver, but his business has also been affected by the lockdown. Evas received the full antenatal care package at our medical partner's care center, Nyakibale Hospital. The doctor advised her to deliver by cesarean section due to the status of her previous deliveries. This procedure will allow for a better delivery outcome and prevent the possible complications of uterine rupture. Evas is a returning Watsi patient, after undergoing a thyroid procedure in 2020 to help her breathe, work, and live more comfortably. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is requesting $252 to help fund another very important surgery for Evas so her baby can be born safely. Evas says, “I am really grateful for the help I was given for my previous operation. I am requesting your financial support again in order to make my surgery possible as the lockdown has left us helpless in every aspect.”

Paw San is 33-year-old man from Burma. In March, he fell into a ditch. When he got up, the left side of his jaw was swollen and he had blood in his mouth. Paw San had fractured his lower jaw. Currently his injury is getting worse and he is in a lot of pain. With the help of our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, Paw San will undergo surgery to reset his fractured bones and ensure proper healing. The procedure is scheduled for April 8 and will cost $1,500. This procedure will help to heal Paw San's jaws properly so that he will be able to chew and eat again. Paw San says, “When I finish receiving treatment for my lower jaw fracture, I have to work and save money to support my daughter. This coming year, she will go to school to start kindergarten.”

Sarah is a 16-year-old student from Uganda. Sarah lives with her mother and younger siblings. She enjoys social studies, athletics, and playing games. Sarah is pregnant with her first child. Because she is young, Sarah’s doctors consider her pregnancy to be high-risk. They recommend that she receive medical attention before, during, and after labor to ensure a safe delivery. On April 30, she will begin to receive supplements and attend antenatal checkups and health education classes. She will deliver her baby in the hospital, and she will undergo a C-section if necessary. After birth, Sarah and her baby will be monitored by the hospital staff. Sarah has contributed $7 to her treatment costs. Our medical partner, The Kellermann Foundation, is requesting an additional $241 to fund her care. The requested $241 pays for antenatal visits, lab tests, medication, and three nights of hospital stay. Sarah’s mother says, “I thank the donors for supporting my daughter and helping her have a safe delivery. I pray to God to bless the donors in everything they do.”

Soeung is a 65-year-old woman from Cambodia. She is married and has three sons, five daughters, and ten grandchildren. About a year ago, she developed a cataract in each eye, resulting in blurred vision, pain, tearing, and extreme sensitivity to light. This has made it difficult for Soeung to do any type of work or go anywhere on her own. She is very worried that she will go blind. Soeung’s daughter had previously visited our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC). She accompanied her mother on the two-hour trip to receive treatment. Soeung is now scheduled to have a cataract surgery in both eyes on January 19. CSC is requesting $292 for this procedure. After receiving an intraocular lens implant in each eye, Soeung will be able to see clearly again. She can resume her daily life and do all the things she loves.

Nkhamanga is a 60-year-old maize farmer. He and his wife live in a small village in rural Malawi, and they have seven children and thirteen grandchildren One year ago, Nkhamanga began to develop difficulty urinating. His condition worsened over time, to the point that he now has to be catheterized to go to the restroom. This severely impairs his ability to farm and provide for his family. Upon arrival at our medical partner's care center, Nkhoma Hospital, Nkhamanga was diagnosed with benign prostatic hyperplasia, also known as an enlarged prostate. Nkhamanga is scheduled to receive treatment on January 19. Our medical partner, World Altering Medicine, is requesting $726 to cover the cost of the operation and post-op care. After surgery, Nkhamanga is expected to make a full recovery and return to daily life without the discomfort he has been experiencing this last year. "I needed this surgery very much," Nkhamanga says. "This is a bad problem. Now, I will be fine!"

Sarom is a 38-year-old factory worker who has one son, three daughters, and one grandchild. She likes to watch concert and music programs on TV in her free time. Twenty years ago, Sarom developed a pterygium in each eye, causing her blurred vision, irritation, and itchiness. It became difficult for her to see things clearly, work, and go anywhere outside. Sarom traveled for three hours with her sister to reach our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), for treatment. On December 23, eye surgeons at CSC removed the pterygium from each eye to allow Sarom to see clearly again. Now, CSC is requesting $148 to fund this procedure. "I hope that I look better and feel more comfortable," says Sarom, "because I want to continue my work at the factory to earn money to support my family."

Samnang is a 31-year-old man with two sons. He likes to watch TV and read the news on the Internet. In August 2015, Samnang was in a motor vehicle accident that caused a fracture in his right femur. He visited a private clinic in Phnom Penh, where surgeons performed an open reduction internal fixation procedure to heal his fracture. Though his fracture healed, a nail left in his leg from that surgery causes him difficulty walking. When Samnang learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), he traveled for four hours to seek treatment. On December 2, CSC surgeons removed the nail and performed a quadricepsplasty release procedure. This procedure will allow Samnang to walk easily again. Now, he needs help to fund this $425 procedure. "I hope that I can walk better and experience no pain," he says.

11-month-old Prescilla lives with her grandmother in a house made of bamboo and concrete without proper water supply. Her mother works as a helper in a store and struggles to provide for Prescilla. As a result, she is now suffering from moderate malnutrition, weighing less than kids her age. One out of every five children under the age of 5 in the communities that our medical partner International Care Ministries (ICM) 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 she will recover from malnutrition and become healthy," said Prescilla's mother.

Meet Bo, an 84-year-old woman from Cambodia. “Bo is married with seven sons, two daughters, and 21 grandchildren. She enjoys visiting the pagoda and listening to monks pray," shares our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC). Six months ago, Bo developed mature cataracts in each eye. A cataract occurs when a thin, cloudy layer forms over the eye’s lens. "This causes her blurred vision, discharge, tearing, and fear of bright lights. It is hard for her to see clearly, do work, or go anywhere outside," CSC explains. "I hope my eyes can see everything clearly again,” shares Bo, “Then, I can work at home and go anywhere outside." After learning about CSC, Bo and her daughter travelled four hours to visit their clinic. They learned that a simple surgical procedure may restore Bo's sight. With $292, Bo will undergo cataract surgery, during which her old lenses will be removed and replaced with sheer artificial implants, allowing her to see again immediately after her operation.

Shwe is a 46-year-old man from Burma who was diagnosed with gallstones one year ago. He lives with his wife and two sons who help their parents on the farm, and two daughters who attend school and are in grade 12 and grade 7. Shwe owns a small farm where he grows rice. He also has a small plot where he grows coffee and covers the family’s monthly expenses. In October 2015, Shwe began experiencing pain, stomach aches and weight loss. He visited a hospital where he had an ultrasound and was diagnosed with gallstones, which he was told would need to be removed. He could not afford the surgery and left the hospital with only enough medicine for one month. Once he stopped being able to afford the pain medicine, he used traditional medicine to relieve his pain. Finally, Shwe’s wife’s nephew referred him to Watsi's medical partner, Burma Border Projects, for treatment. He needs a cholecystectomy, or surgical removal of his gallbladder. Currently, Shwe experiences dizziness, trouble eating and sleeping, and back pain. He cannot breathe well and is very worried about his condition. After surgery, he is expected to be symptom and pain-free, and return home to his family. “If I cannot get well, I will not be able to make money and support to my family," Shwe shared. "The most important thing is to get better.”

Meet Benedict, a seven year-old boy from Kenya. Benedict is currently in first grade and his favorite subject is science. Benedict was born with a condition called distal hypospadias. His doctor explains, “Benedict was set to undergo circumcision when doctors realized he had a low lying urethral opening. Benedict was born with an abnormally placed urination hole. As a result, he cannot pass urine normally. If not treated, Benedict is at risk of urinary tract infections and infertility in future.” For $665, we can fund a treatment that will repair Benedict’s urinary tract. “We expect after treatment, Benedict will recover fully. He will be able to pass urine normally and he will be no longer at risk of urinary tract infections or infertility in the future,” shares his doctor. Benedict looks forward to growing up healthy after surgery. “I want to build and own houses when I am older," he says.

Meet Quedma, a three-year-old girl from Haiti. Our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance (HCA), tells us, “Quedma lives in Haiti with her mother, father, and two older brothers; she is very shy with people outside of her family, but very close to her family and likes spending time with them.” HCA also reports, “Quedma likes to help her mother with cooking, and to dress up for church.” Quedma was born with a cardiac condition called partial anomalous pulmonary vein return, in which “her pulmonary vein does not connect with her heart in the anatomically normal location,” HCA explains. “As a result, blood cannot flow through her heart and body normally, and she is constantly fatigued and sickly.” Quedma needs surgery to redirect her pulmonary vein. However, advanced pediatric cardiac care is difficult to access in Haiti. Quedma’s condition thus requires overseas transportation, which will cost $1,500. Health City Cayman Islands is subsidizing the treatment with a $7,500 donation to cover Quedma’s surgical care. $1,500 in Watsi funding will provide Quedma and a family member with passports, visas, airfare, food and health insurance to make her surgery possible. HCA predicts, “Following surgery, normal blood flow should be restored to Quedma’s heart and through her body, and she should be able to lead a healthy life.” Quedma’s mother says, "When we first learned about Quedma’s problem we felt hopeless because we didn’t think anyone would be able to help her, we are so glad that God answered our prayers!”