Samnang is a friendly young 5-year-old girl. The youngest child in her family, she has three older sisters and two older brothers. Her brothers are soldiers and her sisters are students. Her mother is a farmer and grows rainy-day rice. They lost their father due to an unknown illness last year. Samnang does not yet attend school and likes to play with toys, watch TV, and go to the market with her mother. At home, she likes her mother to cook Khmer noodles and fried chicken. In February 2021, Samnang fell five feet to the floor from her mother's kitchen counter and hit the right side of her head. Within weeks, she was unable to open her mouth and suffered from chronic ear pain. Her jaw has become progressively more rigid, she has difficulty eating and drinking, and feels poorly. After consulting with a local children's hospital and receiving only pain medication, she was referred to our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, for diagnosis and treatment. Doctors diagnosed her with a fracture of the right mandibular condyle - part of the temporomandibular joint in her jaw - and recommend a condylectomy of the right side with a bone graft from part of her rib. Samnang's parents need help with the $469 surgery, which includes medications and post-operative care in the hospital. Samnang's mother said: "I am so worried that my daughter hurt herself and I could not get her good care. I hope the doctors can fix her mouth so she no longer has pain, can eat and able to go to school next year."

Ma Win is an 18-year-old girl who lives with her parents, sister and brother-in-law in Yangon, Burma. Ma Win’s sister works at a clothing factory, while her brother-in-law works as a day laborer. Her parents are homemakers. Before Ma Win's current illness, she also worked at a factory. When Ma Win was four years old, she experienced a bout of high fever, and was brought to the local clinic. She received an injection, and the doctor informed her parents that she was born with a heart problem. However, she was too young at the time for corrective surgery. Instead, she was sent home with medication, and appeared to be doing well until this past year. In April, Ma Win began experiencing chest pains, high fever and difficulty breathing. She went to a clinic, and received an x-ray and an echocardiogram. After the doctor checked her results, she was diagnosed with an opening between two major blood vessels leading from the heart. The doctor told her and her family that she would need to have surgery. When Ma Win explained to the doctor that her family could not afford to pay for the surgery, she was referred to the abbot of a local monastery, who provided the family with information about our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund. Now Ma Win is scheduled for cardiac surgery on October 23rd at Pun Hlaing Hospital. After she has recovered, she should no longer experience chest pains or difficulty breathing, and she won't have to worry any longer about her condition. She will also be able to return to work, which will help ease her family's financial burdens. Now she needs your help to raise $1,500 to cover the cost of her procedure. Ma Win said: “I am scared to receive surgery, but my mother tries to encourage me. However, I am very happy that I will be able to receive treatment with your help. I would like to say thank you so much to all the donors.”

Cristian is a 15-month-old from Guatemala. He loves to play with his favorite toy car and eat his favorite foods, which are beans and bananas. Cristian is currently underweight and small for his age. He has malnutrition, a condition that results from consuming too little protein, calories, and nutrients. In the short term, malnutrition means Cristian has little energy to grow and that his immune system is weak, leaving him vulnerable to illness. However, malnutrition is very treatable. On June 22, Cristian will begin treatment that includes growth monitoring, micronutrients, and food supplementation. Our medical partner, Wuqu' Kawoq, is requesting $492 to help fund the treatment so that Cristian will gain weight, his immune system will grow stronger, and community health workers will teach his mother about creating a nutrient-rich diet with limited resources. The treatment will give Cristian’s family tools to maintain nutritious diets, and it will give Cristian a chance to grow healthily. Treatment will give him an opportunity to play, grow, and participate in his family’s lives supported by a healthy brain and body. Cristian’s mother says, “I am very grateful to enter into the program because I know it will benefit my son greatly. I hope for my son to recover.”

Two-year-old Janbern lives in the Philippines with her parents and five siblings. They live in a house made of bamboo with a roof made of galvanized iron. Janbern is an active little girl who loves to play with her siblings. Unfortunately, Janbern's parents cannot afford to give her the diet she needs to stay healthy. As a result, Janbern is severely malnourished. She requires immediate treatment to prevent delays in her mental and physical development. Janbern began $268 malnutrition treatment on October 19. She is being treated by International Care Ministries (ICM), a Watsi medical partner. ICM will supply Janbern with nutrient-enriched food packs to help her reach a normal weight for her age. The nourishment will also ensure that she achieves optimum physical and mental development. Janbern will receive weekly visits from ICM staff and community volunteers to check up on her progress in the program. Additionally, staff will educate her parents about ways to sustain her health in the future. Janbern's mother hopes that her daughter will finish school and have a job one day. Let's help fund this important treatment program!

Chech is a 22-year-old farmer who has two sisters and three brothers. She likes to do housework and help her family on the farm. When she was a baby, Chech developed an ear infection. The infection spread to both ears and perforated the tympanic membrane in each. She experiences recurring ear discharge, pain, and hearing loss. Her condition makes her unhappy. Fortunately, Chech learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC) from a relative. She traveled for six hours by taxi to reach CSC for treatment. On October 19, 2016, surgeons performed a myringoplasty in each ear to repair the perforated tympanic membrane and stop the ear discharge and pain. Over time, her hearing will improve. Now, her family needs help to fund this $831 procedure. Chech says, "I hope for the ear discharge to stop and to have good hearing."

Mirlene is three years old, and lives in Port-au-Prince, Haiti with her mother, aunt, and cousins. She has not yet started preschool but likes to play with the kids in her neighborhood and draw. “Mirlene was born with a cardiac condition called complete atrioventricular septal defect, in which multiple holes exist between the upper and lower chambers of her heart,” says our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance (HCA). “Blood flows through these holes in her heart without first passing through the lungs to get oxygen, leaving her sickly and short of breath. Because of the severity of this condition, there is a chance it may not be repairable, but the only way to determine this is by inserting a catheter into the chambers of her heart. Since this is not possible in Haiti, arrangements are being made to bring her to Dominican Republic to perform this extremely important test in the hopes that she can have heart surgery later in the year.” For $1,500, Mirlene will receive this life-saving procedure to determine the rest of her treatment plan. This cost also covers her travel and transportation costs between Haiti and the Dominican Republic. "I am so happy that there is a way forward for Mirlene,” her mother says. “We are hoping for a good result from this test."