Tindibakira, who is in need of thyroid surgery, told us, “I pray for a successful surgery. Farming is major for our survival and I will resume it as soon as possible.” Tindibakira is a 68-year-old woman and a married mother of four children. She and her husband are small scale farmers and they own a four-room semi-permanent house. During her free time, Tindibakira enjoys being out in the fields farming. Over two years ago, Tindibakira began experiencing troubling symptoms, including anterior neck swelling and difficulty breathing. She was diagnosed with a multinodular goiter and needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. If not treated, she will be at risk of airway obstruction. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is requesting $293 to fund Tindibakira's surgery. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on April 6th at AMH's care center. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland so she can finally feel healthy again.

Kyarikora is a 52-year-old farmer from Uganda. She is married and a mother to seven children; one son and six daughters. Her son is a motorbike taxi driver; her two eldest daughters are married and small scale farmers; while her other four children are still in school. Kyarikora and her husband both earn a living from small scale farming. For the last year, Kyarikora has been experiencing persistent pain, backache, and other troubling symptoms. She has been diagnosed with premalignant cervical lesion. She needs to undergo a hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $219 to fund Kyarikora's surgery. On January 26th, she will undergo gynecological surgery at our medical partner's care center. Once recovered, Kyarikora will be able to resume her daily activities free of pain. Kyarikora shared, “I have been living a miserable life because of this condition, and I haven’t been able to go for treatment because my income is small. I hope to regain my strength after surgery.”

Friday is a 31-year-old small-scale farmer and a single mother of three children, having separated from her husband in 2015. Her firstborn is now 12 years old and in primary school class seven, and her second and last born are 9 and 6 years old respectively. She proudly shared that her children are all in school and that they live together with her parents. She works hard as a farmer to make ends meet and pay for her children's school fees. In her free time, Friday enjoys making hand crafts like handmade mats. For the last four months, Friday has been experiencing discomfort in her chest area due to a mass that has been increasing in size. Upon seeking care with our medical partner, she was diagnosed with a mass on her right breast that needs to be removed. Friday traveled to our medical partner's care center hoping to receive treatment. On January 13th, surgeons will remove the mass. Now, Friday needs help raising $145 to fund this procedure. Friday shared, “I will resume farming once I recover. I appreciate any support you can provide."

Leak is a 17-year-old student from Cambodia. She is the youngest of four siblings. Her father is a motorcycle taxi driver and her mother is a cleaner. She is in grade eleven at school and enjoys studying math. She wants to be a teacher in the future. Leak has had dysplastic nevi syndrome since birth. This means that she has many small moles all over her skin. Some grow larger than others. One appeared on her left waist and leg area. This mass has grown large and makes it difficult for her to sit or lie down comfortably. Leak traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On July 9th, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), will remove the mass. Now, Leak needs help to raise $231 to fund this procedure. Leak shared, "I hope that the mass will be gone forever and that my leg will feel good and look good."

Ry is a 69-year-old rice farmer from Cambodia. She has two sons, three daughters, and five grandchildren. She lives with her husband and all of her grandchildren. Her husband does not work currently, so they spend most of their time taking care of the house and of their grandchildren. In her free time, she likes to listen to monks praying on the radio. Six years ago, Ry developed a cataract in her right eye, causing her blurry vision and photophobia. These symptoms have worsened in the past five months. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, and going anywhere outside. When Ry learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On October 5th, 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. Ry said, "I hope after surgery it will be easier for me to see where I am going and what my grandchildren are doing, so that I can keep them safe."

Gift is 6-month-old baby from Kenya. We met Gift at Watsi's Partner Care Center with her mother Silvia. She was sleepy and looked tired after traveling for over 6 hours from their home just to get a doctor's check-up. She is youngest in their family of two kids. Her mother is a housewife, while her father is a farmer and a casual laborer in construction sites. Gift has clubfoot of both feet. She has been on casting since birth and tenotomy was done when she was two months old however the deformity has never corrected. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes as she grows up. Fortunately, Gift traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, AIC Cure International Hospital. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on May 11th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,224 to fund Gift's clubfoot repair. After treatment, the bones will realign so that her feet can face in the right direction and she will be able to put on shoes and walk uprightly when she is older. “My joy would be to see my daughter walking well like other children and I would request you to help my daughter undergo surgery,” Gift’s mother told us.

Ky is a 65-year-old mother of five from Cambodia. She has five sons and enjoys looking after her eleven grandchildren when she has free time. One year ago, Ky developed a cataract in her right eye, causing her blurry vision, tearing, and photophobia. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, and going anywhere outside. When Ky learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for two hours seeking treatment. On February 3rd, doctors will perform a phacoemulsification 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. "I hope that I will be able to help look after my grandchildren again," Ky shared.

Tumushabe is a 38-year-old small-scale farmer from Uganda. She is a mother of five who separated with her husband in 2018 after being rejected by his parents. Her husband stayed with four of their children and she is taking care of their youngest, who is two years old and hasn’t yet started preschool. She shared that she has now lost contact with her husband and does not receive any help from him. She currently lives with her aunt who helps support her with the little she can. On June 3rd, Tumushabe had a curative laparotomy surgery that was successful and she was discharged home feeling well.. However, a few weeks later, she was in severe pain again, especially with a backache and lower abdominal pains. She went to nearby Mbarara Hospital and other health units who ran scans on her. She was diagnosed with fibroids and was given tablets to relieve her pain because she could not afford the surgery charges. She decided to return to Rushoroza Hospital to seek the medical attention she needs. Tumushabe completed up to the second grade in primary school and was growing a variety of crops in her aunt’s fields before she became sick. She currently does not work due to severe pain and cannot even sit comfortably. Her aunt and uncle are unable to fund her surgery and therefore she is seeking financial support. She needs to undergo a hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $228 to fund Tumushabe's surgery. On October 7th, she will undergo gynecological surgery at our medical partner's care center. Once recovered, Tumushabe will be able to resume her daily activities free of pain and her quality of life will improve. Tumushabe says, “I pray for the WATSI program for assisting me and I am grateful for their kind financial support. I will resume farming as soon as possible.”

Yetebarek is a 12-month-old cute boy from Ethiopia, the first born to his parents. He loves to play with other kids and play with water. His mother was forced to marry at age 16, by abduction in a traditional way. She was in grade 5 at the time, and is now 20 years of age. After her wedding she was forced to drop out of school and then started work as a cleaner in a government office. Now after she gave birth to Yetebarek, she is not working any more. Yetebarek's dad is a shoe shiner, with limited income to support his family well. Yetebarek was born with hypospadias, a congenital abnormality that causes urinary dysfunction. Without treatment, he will continue to experience uncomfortable symptoms and will be at risk of infertility. Fortunately, Yetebarek is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on April 7th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,231 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. Yetebarek's mom said, “I lay all my hope on God.”

Yan is a 79-year-old rice farmer from Cambodia. She has four children, five grandchildren, and enjoys listening to the monks pray on the radio in her free time. One year ago, Yan developed a cataract in her right eye, causing her blurry vision. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, and going anywhere outside. When Yan learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for three and a half hours seeking treatment. On October 07, 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 $211 procedure. Yan said, "I hope that I will be able to see clearly so I can return to the pagoda and be able to recognize my relatives's faces."

Rachna is a girl from Cambodia. She is an only child from Svay Reang province, four hours from Phnom Penh. Since May 2019, Rachna has had a sinus infection on the right side and underwent surgery at Angdong Hospital in order to drain the sinus, but her condition did not improve. Rachna experiences a fever and swelling of her sinus, as well as pus and drainage from her nostril. Surgery will help to relieve the pressure in her sinus and and drain the pus from her nose so she can breathe normally and comfortably again. Surgery is scheduled for July 15 and will cost $286. Rachna enjoys spending time paying with her toys and watching cartoons on television.