Twinamatsiko is a farmer from Uganda. She is 51 years old and has eight children. Her husband passed away in 2002. Twinamatsiko has had a slowly progressive neck swelling for two years. She also experiences troubling symptoms, including pain, shortness of breath, and difficulty swallowing. She was diagnosed with a goiter. She needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Twinamatsiko receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on March 6 at our medical partner's care center. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $240, and she and her family need help raising money. Twinamatsiko says, “I hope to get better and continue with cultivation after surgery.”

Samnang is a three-year-old girl from Cambodia. She has five brothers and three sisters. She is the baby of the family. She likes to play with toys. One year ago, she was burned by a fire on her fingers. It is difficult for her to hold onto things and use the burned fingers. When Samnang's family learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, they traveled for six hours seeking treatment. On February 2, surgeons at CSC will perform a skin graft procedure to to help her use her hand again. Now, Samnang's family needs help to fund this $440 procedure. Her mother says, "I hope my daughter can use her fingers again and return home to her family."

Christina is a playful, happy child from Tanzania. She has hydrocephalus, a condition where there is excess fluid around the brain. This condition causes regular fever, irritation, and vomiting. If the hydrocephalus is not addressed now, Christina’s head will continue to grow, causing increased pressure on her brain. Christina's mother noticed her head was growing abnormally at three months of age and began to seek treatment. A surgeon diagnosed hydrocephalus and said the pressure needs to be relieved as soon as possible in order to ensure Christina has a chance at a normal life. Christina's treatment date is August 7. Christina’s parents are small-scale farmers, who mainly grow crops for home consumption. The family of six all lives together in one home in Tanzania. They need help raising $1,238 to pay for treatment. “I just want for my child to be healthy again," says Christina’s mother.

Lancly is a 23-year-old woman from Malawi. She works as a farmer to support herself. For some time, Lancly has had a cyst on her ear that has caused her a lot of discomfort. On July 18, Lancly will have her cyst removed at our medical partner's care center, Kabudula Rural Community Hospital. Our medical partner, World Altering Medicine, is asking for $340 to cover the cost of her procedure. Lancly is grateful to the donors for all their support!

Bartola is a 55-year-old woman who lives with five of her seven children in rural Guatemala. She works as a housewife, cleaning and cooking. In her free time, she weaves traditional Mayan textiles and takes care of her family. Bartola needs pterygium correction surgery. Common symptoms of a pterygium include redness, blurred vision, and eye irritation due to a growth that covers the white part of the eye. Bartola’s eyesight has been worsening for many years now, and her eyes bother her on a daily basis. Fortunately, with the help of our medical partner, Wuqu' Kawoq, Bartola is scheduled to receive her treatment on August 3. She needs help raising $1,487 to fund treatment. Treatment for Bartola’s condition is straightforward. First, she will consult with a trusted eye specialist, and then receive correctional surgery and follow-up. The change to Bartola’s eyesight will be immediate and vision-saving. Bartola will be able to do her favorite activities again, such as weaving and going to church.

Edson is a six-month-old baby who lives in Guatemala. His best friend is his twin brother. For the first two months of their lives, their mother was able to breastfeed them. However, when she was diagnosed with a virus, she could no longer safely breastfeed her sons. Edson's mother bought the twins an initial supply of formula, but it is too expensive for her to continue buying it. Edson's limited diet has led to malnutrition. To stabilize his condition, Edson was given a preliminary supply of formula at our medical partner's care center, Clinic Miller. Now, the clinic's nutritionist is creating a formal nutritional treatment plan for Edson. Edson will begin malnutrition treatment on January 17. Our medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq, is asking for $1,107 in funds to provide Edson with nutritious formula. The funds will also cover the cost of health education for Edson's mother. One-on-one motivational education will teach her how to identify signs of malnutrition and how to create a nutritious, inexpensive diet for Edson. “I hope my son recuperates and attains a normal height and weight,” says Edson's mother. With the formula, Edson’s immune system will strengthen, and he will grow to be a healthy, energetic baby!

Lynn is a five-year-old girl from Kenya. She is a very smiley child. She lives with her mother, brother, and grandparents. Lynn is currently in nursery school, and her mother works as a secretary at a high school. In June 2015, Lynn and her brother were sleeping when they were both bitten by a red spitting cobra. Both were taken to the hospital and treated, but Lynn's case was worse. The venom had spread to her hand, leaving her unable to properly use it. Lynn has undergone previous [surgery](https://watsi.org/profile/1a0ddff4f01d-lynn) funded by Watsi, but she needs more treatment. On March 1, Lynn will undergo tendon and nerve repair surgery at our medical partner's care center, AIC Kijabe Hospital. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is asking for $1,064 to cover the cost of Lynn's treatment. Lynn's family has already raised $206 to contribute to her surgery. “I want to be a teacher when I grow up,” says Lynn. After surgery, Lynn will regain use of her right hand, putting her closer to achieving her dream!

Lester is a 12-year-old student and older brother from the Philippines. He has experienced painful abdominal symptoms since he was a baby. Although he loves to play outdoors, the pain sometimes prevents him from doing so. Persistent symptoms have caused Lester to miss long periods of school. Lester's parents work as laborers on a nearby farm, but their income is limited. They could not afford to bring Lester to a doctor. Fortunately, our medical partner, International Care Ministries, visited their community. Lester's parents took the opportunity to get Lester a medical consultation and laboratory tests. Lester was diagnosed with an inguinal hernia, a condition in which intestinal tissue protrudes through the groin. He is scheduled to undergo a repair surgery on January 11. After surgery, Lester will return to school full-time and resume his childhood. The surgery will cost $1,098. Your donation will help pay for the surgeon's fees, one night stay in the hospital, the use of an operating theater, and medication. "We are so blessed that Lester was given a chance to be treated," says Lester's mother. "He is a good child and an industrious one. He is very loving to us, his parents. He really deserves this treatment, but because of our financial status we cannot afford the surgery. Thank you for helping us and my son."

Meet Moisa, a two-year-old toddler from Haiti. Moisa was born with a congenital heart disease called Tetralogy of Fallot, which causes a hole to form between two chambers of the heart and causes a muscular blockage in one of the heart valves. “As a result, blood cannot circulate normally through her body, and she is at constant risk of sudden death,” says our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance (HCA). Moisa was born with down syndrome, and she lives with her parents and three older brothers. “Although she has special needs, she is fully involved in the life of her family and has many friends in the neighborhood,” shares HCA. Moisa likes to wear pretty dresses and play, especially blowing bubbles. For $1,500, Moisa will receive the cardiac surgery she needs. Following the surgery, she will no longer have cardiac symptoms or be at risk of sudden death. "Moisa makes everyone smile when they are around her,” expresses her mother. “We are so happy she is getting the surgery she needs!"

“We love Faith because she is always happy and warms our house,” Faith’s mother shares with our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). Faith, a smiling four-year-old girl, lives with her parents and two siblings in Kenya. Faith has a fracture on her left humerus—causing her pain and an “inability to use her left hand,” AMHF explains. Without treatment, Faith risks the chance of the bones growing back improperly and permanently losing use of her left hand. The family depends on their father’s modest income earned as a “casual laborer at Kenya’s main lighting company.” Given that Faith’s father’s earnings “are barely adequate enough to meet his family's basic needs,” there is no extra money to afford the cost of Faith’s treatment. With $1,125 in Watsi funding, Faith will receive an open reduction and internal fixation operation. This is a two-part surgery that will repair Faith’s broken humerus. First, the broken bones will be fitted back into place. Next, metal rods and plates will be inserted—allowing the bones to heal correctly without shifting. Included in the total cost of treatment, Faith will stay at the hospital for two weeks during which she will work closely with a physiotherapist for ten days. With this procedure, AMHF expects, “Faith’s left hand will heal and she will regain its use.” “We hope she will get help and her hand will be well. We just want to see her growing without any disability like other children,” Faith’s father shares.

Branli is a 16-month-old little boy from Guatemala who lives in an adobe home with his parents. Our medical partner, Wuku' Kawoq (WK), reports that Branli likes turtles and cars, and enjoys playing with his cousins. Branli has acute severe malnutrition and diarrhea, WK explains. Without intervention, Branli’s health will continue to worsen. He will be at risk for long term effects of malnutrition and infectious diseases. His sickness also causes him to quickly lose fluids and become severely dehydrated. With $535, Branli can receive growth monitoring, micronutrient supplementation, and medication to recoup some of his lost weight and height. "His parents will receive intensive nutrition education," WK adds, "Thus building their confidence and ability to care for Branli throughout his childhood." “I hope that he will grow strong and be able to enjoy school in the future," says Branli's mother.

“Naw Moe is a very shy yet witty thirteen-year-old girl,” says our medical partner, Burma Border Projects (BBP). Naw Moe lives in Burma with her parents and one of her four older siblings. “Naw Moe's parents both work as farmers, planting and cultivating a variety of plants and then selling the partially grown plants," says BBP. When Naw Moe was nine-years-old, “she began to experience numbness and pain in her left side, knee aches, loss of appetite, sleeplessness, and difficulty urinating,” BBP tells us. Naw Moe was subsequently diagnosed with kidney stones. Because of her condition, “Naw Moe currently does not go to school,” and “no longer wishes to go out to play with her friends, but stay home and keep to herself," BBP continues. Surgery to remove the kidney stones will cost $1500, and is expected to eliminate all symptoms. Treatment “will allow her to live a normal live and she can return to her normal happy self," says BBP. Naw Moe and her family are hopeful for the treatment outcome. “Her mother hopes her to be happy and healthy. She hopes her daughter will be able to go back to the days when Naw Moe would be able to cook for her mom when she was too busy to, and back on track to achieving her dreams,” BBP says. “Naw Moe cheerfully tells us her aspirations are to become a nun and teach ninth and tenth grades in Burma for the rest of her life.”