Mary is a nine-year-old girl from Kenya. She is the 5th among six children being raised by a single mom. When Mary was three years old, she was diagnosed with a bow leg on her left leg. This is a condition where one's leg is curved outward at the knees. It affects her movement, ability to perform daily tasks, and her self-esteem. Mary is scheduled for corrective surgery on February 27th. After surgery, she will be able to walk and move better and gain self-confidence. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,224 to fund Mary's surgery. “I will be able to walk well like other children and continue with my studies,” Mary said.

Kelita is a single mother with four children, aged 18,14,12, and 8. Kelita shared that she separated from her husband in 2017 because she would not adhere to cultural chieftaincy rules that wives are supposed to follow. Kelita refused to stop going to church; hence her family broke apart, and her husband married another woman. He does not provide support for his children so Kelita works hard to support her family on her own. Kelita sells cooked green maize in the nearest markets, earning about $37.00 per month. She and her four children live in a three-room house without water or electricity. Kelita does extra work in people’s gardens for her family's support and shared that she enjoys eating nsima (ugali) with vegetables prepared with groundnut flour. Kelita was well until 2011, when, after the delivery of her third child, she noted a fast-growing swelling on her neck. She did not seek medical care as there was no pain. As time passed, the swelling grew, but was not painful. In 2021, Kelita started experiencing neck heaviness and breathlessness, frequent coughs, and pains when carrying heavy items on her head. This affected her daily activities and business since she could no longer carry a basket of maize on her head. Kelita stopped her cooking business and relied on doing piece work in people’s gardens to support her family. However, even this is difficult now, as bending has become a challenge. In November 2021, Kelita visited her nearest hospital and was referred to Kamuzu Central Hospital, where an ultrasound scan revealed a bilateral complex mass in her thyroid. Kelita was sent for thyroid function tests but since she did not have the money required for the tests, she returned home to try traditional medicine, to no avail. In July, Kelita met a Partners in Hope (PIH) beneficiary who guided her to visit PIH for potential support from Watsi. On August 14th, Kelita met the surgeon at PIH. After the required tests were completed, a diagnosis of goiter was confirmed. Kelita was told she needed to have a surgical intervention called thyroidectomy, the removal of part or all of the thyroid gland. Due to her financial challenges, Kelita was referred to Watsi's medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, for support. Kelita could smile much bigger after hearing about the planned surgery and committed to a co-pay $27.64 from her savings. Kelita hopes to be well again after the surgical operation. Kelita looks forward to the peace of mind that will enable her to support her children as a single parent. “I need my peace of mind for me to resume my business and be able to carry items on my head again. Kindly help me,” Kelita says.

Mai is a 46-year-old mother from Thailand. She resides with her husband, and son in a refugee camp along the Thai-Burma border. She works as a seamstress, her husband sells snacks and her son is a tutor. Mai has been unwell since 2015 and doctors advise her to undergo a hysterectomy. If left untreated, Mai's pain and symptoms will continue to worsen and put her at risk for further health complications. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of her procedure and care. Mai said, "I felt very happy when I found out that Watsi would support my treatment. Thank you so much for your assistance. It means a lot to me and my family.”

Faith, who is 29 years old, lives in Kenya with her young son. Both of her parents died when she was young, and she was raised by her grandmother. She was unable to pursue her education due to financial constraints, so today she washes clothes for a living. As her husband passed away two years ago in a traffic accident, she works hard to support herself and her son. Faith has lived with severe hearing loss throughout her whole life. Sadly, her grandmother couldn't afford to get Faith the help that she needed. But when Faith brought her son in to get care to address his hearing loss, the doctors determined that Faith needed help, as well. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is seeking $1,171 so that Faith can get hearing aids to treat the condition she has lived with for so long. She will be receiving care from AIC Kijabe Hospital. Faith says: “I have struggled with hearing loss since birth. I never had a chance to get treatment due to financial constraints. I hope to be able to hear well.“

Sephora, a 4-year-old girl with Down syndrome from Haiti, loves listening to music and drawing with crayons. She lives with her parents and three older siblings in a neighborhood in Port-au-Prince. Sephora has a cardiac condition called patent ductus arteriosus. Because of this condition, a hole exists between two blood vessels near her heart. Blood leaks through this hole, leaving her weak and short of breath. Sephora needs to fly to the Dominican Republic to receive cardiac treatment on May 29th. First, the doctors will perform tests to determine if the hole near her heart can be safely closed or whether it is better to manage the condition with medication. If the tests show a good result, the surgeons will close the hole using a device attached to the end of a catheter. Haiti Cardiac Alliance is contributing $6,000 to pay for Sephora's surgery. Sephora's family also needs help with her $1,500 surgery prep costs. This cost covers all her labs, medicines, check-ups, and follow-up appointments. It also covers the cost of passports and social workers accompanying Sephora's family overseas. Sephora's mother said, "I am very happy to know that my daughter finally has the chance to have her heart fixed!"

Wayen is an 8-month-old baby from Haiti. He lives with his mother, grandmother, and two older siblings in a neighborhood of Port-au-Prince. His mother works as a market vendor. Wayen has a cardiac condition called patent ductus arteriosus, which means that a hole exists between two major blood vessels near his heart. Blood leaks through this hole, leaving him weak and short of breath. The surgery he needs is not available in Haiti, so Wayen will travel to Dominican Republic to receive treatment. On September 13th, he will undergo cardiac surgery, during which surgeons will insert a catheter into the hole and expand a device to plug it, so that blood can no longer leak through it. Gift of Life International is contributing $3,000 towards the cost of the surgery, and Wayen's family needs help with the remaining $1,500 to cover the cost of labs, medicines, and check-up and follow-up appointments. This money will also support passport obtainment and the social workers from our medical partner International Cardiac Alliance who will accompany Wayen's family overseas. Wayen's mother shared, "I will be praying for everyone who is helping my son to become healthy."

Kyaw resides in Karen State, Burma, with his parents, aunt, and two brothers. Due to concerns over potential bombings by the military regime following the 2021 coup, Kyaw and his brothers had to stop attending school. His mother takes care of the household as a homemaker, while his aunt enjoys her retirement. Kyaw's father and oldest brother earn a living as day laborers, involved in loading and unloading trucks. In his free time, Kyaw finds solace in listening to songs and playing games, making the most of his free moments. On June 1st, Kyaw began to encounter discomfort and swelling in his lower left leg and difficulty bending his left knee. As the pain escalated, he sought medical attention, and the doctor's diagnosis revealed a tumor in his left leg. Subsequent diagnostic tests confirmed that he has osteosarcoma affecting his left tibia. Medical professionals recommend an amputation of his lower left leg to prevent the cancer from spreading. Now, his family seeks your help funding this $1,500 to ensure his recovery and significantly improve his quality of life. He said, “I would like to say thank you so much to you. This is the worst pain that I have ever felt. I want to be free from this pain and worry.”

Darwin, a two-year-old toddler, resides with his parents and older sister in a small mining community nestled in the mountains of central Bolivia. Darwin was born with a cardiac condition called ventricular septal defect, in which a hole exists between the two lower chambers of his heart. Blood leaks through this hole without passing through his lungs to obtain oxygen, leaving him weak and in need of supplemental nasal oxygen. The only way to treat his condition is through Congenital Cardiac Surgery. Skilled doctors at Hospital del Niño Dr. Ovidio Aliaga Uría aim to close this hole using a patch, enabling blood to flow more naturally. Presently, our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, is seeking assistance in raising the necessary funds of $1,500 for this crucial procedure. Your support would have a profound impact on Darwin's life and well-being. Edwin's mother said: "I am hopeful that Darwin will be able to be a normal and healthy child once his surgery is over."

Jackline is a 17-year-old student from Machakos County in Kenya. She is in form three at AIC Kunikela High School and aspires to become a doctor in the future. Both of her parents are farmers. When she was one year old, Jackline was burned on her left elbow by hot water. After the burn healed, she developed a contracture of her elbow, preventing her from using her arm to help her mother around the house or play volleyball, her favorite sport. While she has been to different hospitals, the contracture remains, negatively impacting her self-esteem. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is here to help. On May 8th, surgeons at AIC Cure International Hospital will perform burn contracture release surgery, enabling Jackline to use her arm and hand more easily. Jackline and her family need your help to fund this $840 procedure. “My joy would be to use my hand like other people, and any help to correct this will be highly appreciated,” Jackline told us.

Kidus is a cute and playful little boy. He loves playing with toys and football with other children. His favorite food is Shiro (Ethiopian staple food) and meat. He also loves watching cartoons and is good at observing and imitating some characters from cartoon shows. He is the only child in the family. His dad is a tailor, employed at a local tailor shop. His father uses the little income to provide food for their family and pay rent. Kidus was born with a congenital anomaly called bladder exstrophy and he underwent surgery at BethanyKids with Watsi's support in 2021 to heal this condition. He was also born with a congenital anomaly called epispadias and has an inguinal hernia. Now he is scheduled for epispadias and right inguinal hernia repair. Epispadias impacts his ability to urinate and puts him at risk of future complications. Kidus is now much more playful than beforeand his family can see how intelligent he is. His family also shared how very much better psychologically they feel after his first treatment. But they are still worried about his urinary condition. He is now scheduled for the two surgeries that will take place simultaneously, and his family needs financial support. Kidus' father said, “Kidus means the world to me. To see him completely well will bring me so much joy. I want him to have a great personality with a kind heart; just like the amazing people helping him recover and become healthy. I really hope that he becomes a doctor in the future and helps those who are in need.”