Kembaga is a 55-year-old farmer and a married mother to twelve children - four sons and eight daughters. Most of her children are self-employed as small scale farmers, like herself and her husband. They earn a living from their small banana plantation and also own a few cattle. Fourteen years ago, Kembaga began to experience troubling symptoms. She finds difficulty in swallowing, breathing and sometimes experiences shortness of breath. Kembaga was diagnosed with a goiter, an abnormal enlargement of the thyroid gland. She needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Kembaga receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on February 9th at our medical partner's care center. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $252, and she and her family need help raising money. Kembaga shared, “I have surely had difficulty in my life because this condition has given me a poor quality of life, but I will surely be thankful to you once I undergo a successful surgery. I hope to continue with farming once I have fully recovered."

Brighton is three-year-old boy and the youngest in his family of nine children. Brighton is a friendly and playful boy. Brighton's parents have been wanting to enroll him in school and start kindergarten but they are concerned because Brighton's right foot is deformed after being involved in a fire accident two years ago, making walking for him difficult. Brighton was left at home sleeping while his mother went out to fetch water. His older siblings were inside the house playing and one of them took a matchbox and started playing with it. The fire caught the bed in which Brighton was sleeping in. The oldest child seeing the fire ran and called their mother who rushed in to save Brighton. He was saved, though he sustained burns on his right foot and was rushed to the hospital. Thankfully Brighton was treated, his wound healed, and was able to walk. However as time went on the scars around his foot contracted to pull on his toes, deforming his foot and making it difficult for him to walk well. His parents tried to seek treatment for him but the cost turned out to be expensive for them to afford. Both parents are small scale farmers and their income is not enough to support the family and cover Brighton's treatment cost. They are asking for help. Brighton’s mother says, “We would love to see our son’s foot well so that he can be able to walk like other normal children, but the cost of treatment is too high for us to afford. Please help us.”

Johnson is a 2-month-old baby boy from Tanzania. He is the last born in a family of three children and was born with a left clubfoot. His condition is causing worry for his parents. They tried to seek doctor's advice from a local hospital and were referred to Watsi's Medical Partner Care Center ALMC/Plaster House. Johnson has been diagnosed with a left positional clubfoot which needs manipulation and casting to correct his foot so that he does not grow up disabled. If this condition is not treated Johnson will have difficulty learning to stand and walk when the time comes. He will also not be able to wear normal shoes and walking will always be difficult for him. Johnson’s father works as bodaboda taxi driver to be able to care for and support his family. They also practice small-scale farming where they grow crops for their own family. Their income is not enough to pay for their basic needs and still afford their son’s treatment cost so they are asking for help. Fortunately, Johnson's family traveled to visit our medical partner's care center where surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on October 9th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $890 to fund Johnson's clubfoot repair. After treatment, he will be able to walk easily when he grows up and develop like any other child. Johnson’s mother shared, “We wouldn’t want our son to grow up disabled. Please help us we since we are unable to afford the treatment cost as our income is not enough.”

Phalla is a 60-year-old vegetable seller from Cambodia. She is a widow with six children, two sisters, and four brothers. She goes to sell vegetables at the market every day, and enjoys cooking and watching movies on TV at home. In January 2020, Phalla was in an accident when an animal ran into her while she was driving her motorcycle. She endured a left ankle fracture and the treatment provided to her at her local referral health center did not help her much. She is still walking with a crutch. She is in pain and cannot walk well. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. On April 29, Phalla will undergo a fracture repair procedure, which will cost $465. With this procedure, she will be able to walk again without a crutch "I hope that I can walk better without any pain and not have to rely on the crutch. Also, I hope to drive my motorcycle and return to selling vegetables at the market again," Phalla said.

Philomena is a baby girl from Kenya. Philomena’s father is a carpenter and her mother, who used to operate a grocery store, is now a homemaker. Together they have five children, three of which are in school. The family has a small income and they have exhausted their savings helping pay for Philomena’s twin sister's heart problems. Philomena underwent a colostomy, in which the end of the colon is brought through an opening in the abdominal wall. This surgery is often performed to bypass bowel malformations, but colostomies are usually temporary and may call for closure. In Philomena's case, her colostomy requires closure in order to restore bowel function and prevent future complications. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $681 to cover the cost of a colostomy closure for Philomena. The surgery is scheduled to take place on July 3rd and, once completed, will hopefully allow her to live more comfortably and confidently. Philomena’s mother shared, “I will be very grateful for any financial help offered.”

"Abel is 15 days old, and the last-born in a family of two children," says our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). "His elder sibling is a special needs child. The family lives in a single-rental house in the suburbs of Nairobi city. Abel's father works as a casual laborer at a local mini-market while his mother is a housewife." Abel was born with spina bifida -- a leaking mass on his lower back. He needs a spina bifida closure surgery to prevent infection and allow him to develop normally. Surgery will also lessen his risk for tethered cord, scoliosis, and kyphosis. "Abel's family lost everything they had in a recent fire in their area of residence," AMHF continues. "This has forced the family to start their lives afresh. Unfortunately, Abel's parents are not able to raise the funds required for treatment." $805 will fund a spina bifida closure and allow Abel to heal properly. Let's help make it happen!

“I just pray that my baby will get well, grow up like the rest of my children and later on become independent,” says Naomi’s mother. Meet Naomi, a newborn baby girl from Tanzania. Naomi is the youngest of five and according to our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), “She feeds well but cries whenever she is lifted up or moved.” Naomi cries more often than other newborns because she has myelomeningocele with hydrocephalus. As AMHF explains, “Naomi has an open lesion on her lower back which is leaking cerebral spinal fluid [CSF]. If not treated, Naomi is at risk of contracting infection and causing bigger problems.” AMHF continues, “Naomi’s mother works very hard as a small scale farmer. She lost her husband a few months after conceiving so she is the one taking care of the whole family. Her financial situation is currently not good given that she cannot do anything to earn some money because she has a newborn who is also not well. She relies on her relative to support her.” $1,100 will fund treatment for Naomi. AMHF explains that after treatment, “Naomi will not lose CSF from her lower back anymore, she will be out of risk of contracting infection and with extensive physiotherapy she may have the ability to use her lower limbs.” Let’s help Naomi and her mother access the healthcare Naomi needs.

"Paulo is a cute and happy five-month-old baby boy," African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF) tells us about this only child from Tanzania. "Paulo’s parents are small scale farmers. They were given a small piece of land by Paulo’s grandfather and their major income is through that piece of land." Paulo was born with clubfoot in both of his feet and affects his gait when he walks. Clinicians at AMHF have been able to take a look and have recommended a corrective surgery so this can be taken care of early in Paulo's life. "When Paulo starts to walk, he will be able to step on his feet and walk on plantigrade," AMHF continues. "Chances of developing early osteoarthritis will also decrease." We wish for him to be able to walk properly when the time comes and be independent as he continues to grow,” Paulo's mother says of her baby boy. Let's fund the surgery Paulo needs to walk properly for the rest of his life.

Keo is an 11-year-old girl from Cambodia who lives with her two brothers and sister. "She is in the fifth grade," our medical partners at Children's Surgical Centre (CSC) tell us, "and her favorite subject is math." "Keo has enlarged tonsils and chronic tonsillitis or re-occurring infections in her throat," CSC continues. “This makes it difficult for her to breathe and swallow which disrupts her sleep. Keo is sad that she is always sleepy in class and can't focus on her studies." For $201, Keo will be able to pay for surgery to reduce the inflammation in her tonsils. Let's fund her treatment and help her breathe easily again.

“My children look up to me for support. I really hope to get well soon so that my life can get back to normal." says Susan, a 39-year-old widowed mother of two from Kenya. "If I get well, I hope to be able to start a small business to sustain my family.” Susan works hard on her small farm to provide for her family, but she dreams of a better life. She is currently in a great deal of pain caused by uterine fibroids. If left untreated, the uterine fibroids will grow and Susan will continue to experience pain, bleeding and anemia. Managing her small farm and raising two children has become difficult due to her condition. Our partners at African Mission Healthcare Foundation say that if Susan receives a total abdominal hysterectomy, she will likely make a full recovery. For $790, we can give Susan the much-needed treatment she needs to live pain free. With our help, Susan and her children will be able to enjoy a a better life, together.

“I like to visit the pagoda and listen to the monks pray,” says Yorng. Meet Yorng, a loving mother of eight and grandmother to seven. Yorng is 77-years-old lives in Cambodia with her family. “Yorng cannot see anything clearly because of the mature cataract in her right eye,” our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), tells us. Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness in the world and are blurring her vision, making it difficult for her to do the things she loves. CSC explains, “She has a hard time cooking and caring for her family and home. Yorng is sad that she cannot go anywhere on her own.” For $150, Yorng will receive cataract surgery and regain her ability to see clearly. Let’s help Yorng regain her sight so that she can return to life as normal!

This is Dah Si. She's 16-years-old and lives with her parents in Burma. The family works on a small vegetable farm to support themselves. Being self reliant is really important to them. "Dah Si first became aware she had a heart condition in August this year, when she went to the doctor to get treatment for a bad cold and the attending doctor detected a heart murmur," Burma Border Projects (BBP) tells us. "Dah Si said she currently feels fine and doesn't see herself as a sick person." "This is not uncommon," continues Dah Si. "Most people with mitral valve prolapse have no symptoms. One thing she does notice, however, is that she has heavy heart palpitations. Another thing she has noticed is that she has lost some weight over the last few months. She still has a good appetite but she struggles to keep food down." Clinicians at BBP have recommended a mitral valve replacement for Dah Si. The cost of this procedure is $1500 - not something the family can cover independently - but will benefit Dah Si greatly. "After receiving treatment in Thailand, Dah Shi can return to her family farm in Burma," BBP writes. "She will be able to go about her daily life without having to worry about the impact of certain activities on her heart."