Anne is a 46-year-old woman from Kenya who has uterine fibroids. Anne lives with her three children and husband, who is also her business partner. "They go to different places where there are functions like weddings and burials and they take photos and sell to the people attending the function," our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), writes. "This business is able to meet their basic needs but the money they make is not enough to cater for this important surgery." Anne needs a total abdominal hysterectomy to relieve the backaches and heavy bleeding her fibroids cause. "If not treated," her doctors say, "Anne will continue to bleed which could lead to anaemia and other complications as the fibroids continue to grow." AMHF expects a full recovery after surgery, which leaves Anne hopeful. She says, "I pray for a successful surgery so that I can be able to continue supporting my family. Our hope is to start our own photography studio."

Meet Pang, a 13-year-old boy from Burma who has a cleft lip. “Pang feels very embarrassed about his face so he doesn’t like to leave the house and avoids crowds, even during festivals which he knows he will enjoy. He also said the other children make fun of him and people constantly stare,” reports our medical partner, Burma Border Projects. Pang resides in rural Burma with his parents. “His parents own their own farm and plant rice in the rainy season. Outside the rainy season, they do not work regularly and instead grow vegetables and raise chickens for the family’s consumption,” continues Burma Border Projects. The family also lives far from the nearest city and the family doesn’t have enough money to pay for transportation costs or school fees, preventing Pang from schooling. For $1320, we can repair Pang’s cleft lip and improve his appearance. The surgery will raise his self-esteem and improve his breathing, speech, and language development.

Jacob is a giggly baby boy from Tanzania who was born with clubfeet. Due to his condition, Jacob has difficulty standing and is missing important development milestones. Without treatment, Jacob will have difficulty walking without pain. Jacob's mother and father are farmers. They work hard, but they are barely able to provide for the basic needs of their seven children, let alone medical care for Jacob. “We wish to see our son able to walk like the rest of our children and grow up to have a good life,” Jacob's parents say. For $500, we can fund Jacob’s surgery and the serial casting he needs to correct his clubfeet, giving him a chance to grow up normally.

Limpo has a rare, delayed presentation of hydrocephalus that Watsi's Medical Partner says will kill him if left untreated. Hydrocephalus is a life-threatening condition that is normally obvious in newborn babies. Fluid buildup in their brains causes their heads to swell, and they are treated immediately. In Limpo's case, his head gradually grew in size and symptoms slowly crept up. Today, he is too weak to stand or walk. Donations on Watsi will be used to cover the cost of Limpo's life-saving surgery. Let's give this 8-year-old boy a chance to be a normal, healthy kid.

Esther is a caring woman who devotes her life to the wellbeing of others. She works as a primary school teacher, which she loves, and she has two children whom she adores. Despite Esther’s positivity, things have not been easy for her. Her husband passed away two years ago, leaving her widowed with their two young children. Her parents rely on her for financial support for themselves and her siblings, who have not been as lucky as her in finding steady work. Esther says that her resources are completely stretched and, “it has been a challenge to put food on the table.” On top of that, Esther is now facing a health challenge. For several years, Esther experienced internal bleeding and severe migraines. She was diagnosed with fibroids, which are leading to severe abdominal pain and swelling, difficulty walking, menorrhagia bleeding, anemia, and low blood pressure. Esther’s condition impacts her everyday life. Her doctors tell us that she “is sometimes too weak to go to class and is gripped by despair at the thought of losing her job.” Esther needs surgery to remove her fibroids. Her doctors tell us they “expect that the removal of Esther’s fibroids will alleviate her pain, stop the prolonged bleeding, and restore her to a normal productive life.” The procedure costs $1200, and we hope to raise the full amount needed to pay for her care.

Agness is a 5-year-old girl with clubfoot, a common condition in which the foot is turned inward and downward. Because of her condition, Angess is forced to walk barefoot on the sides of her feet (shoes make her trip and fall). Without treatment, it will be difficult for Agness to walk normally or live an active life. Fortunately, surgeons at CURE can operate on Agness to fix her condition. Agness comes from a loving family. When she was only a month old, her parents brought her to a local hospital for treatment but were told their daughter needed a surgery they couldn’t perform. Agness’ relatives rallied behind her to find the funds needed to bring her to the CURE hospital for surgery. Now, she's finally made it to CURE but needs help paying for treatment. Agness’ parents believe their daughter’s health can change for the better. We hope to raise the money to fund Agness’ surgery and help make sure it does.

Doreen is a 27-year-old woman with multiple large tumors in her uterus. Doreen’s tumors are benign, but they cause her severe abdominal pain and swelling and are making it difficult for her to walk. If left untreated, doctors at African Mission Healthcare Foundation say Doreen “will continue to experience severe pain, she will be unable to walk and consequently unable to work.” Fortunately, doctors at AMHF can remove Doreen’s tumors. They told us they expect this will “alleviate her pain and restore her to a normal productive life.” Doreen is the first born in a family of five. She lives in [Kibera](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kibera), the second largest urban slum in Africa. Doreen was diagnosed with uterine fibroids two years ago, but she has been unable to have them removed due to lack of money. Last year, her abdominal pain became so intense she was forced to leave her job as a receptionist. Doreen’s father passed away when she was 18. Her mother does her best to support the family by selling clothes, but she barely earns enough to make ends meet. It hurts Doreen to have to ask her family for money. We want to help her get the treatment she needs to live a normal, healthy life.