Ly Huor is a 19 month-old toddler who lives in Pursat province with his grandparents. His grandmother is his main caretaker as his mom and dad work factory jobs several hours away. They are able to visit Ly Huor every few weekends. At home, Ly Huor likes playing with the kids in the village and eating soup. In December 2022, his right hand was burned when he accidentally put his hand into a pot of hot rice porridge. Burn scar contractures have developed, tightening the skin around his burn. He has difficulty holding objects and playing with toys. When Ly Huor's family learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, they traveled for four hours seeking treatment. On September 14th, surgeons at CSC will perform a burn contracture release surgery to to help him to use his hand easily again. Now, his family needs help to fund this $495 procedure. His grandmother shared, "I hope he can use his hand again and play with the other kids."

Mercy is a two-month-old baby who is the only child of two loving parents. Mercy's mother stays at home with her, while her father is a small-scale farmer and cattle breeder. Mercy has clubfoot on her left foot. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape, which causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, Mercy traveled to visit our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, where surgeons will perform her clubfoot repair surgery on March 17th. Now African Mission Healthcare Foundation is requesting $935 to fund Mercy's clubfoot repair. After treatment, she will be able to walk easily and live a life free from mobility constraints. Mercy’s mother says, “I hope that our daughter’s future will not be affected by the condition she is born with.”

Sayuni, who is 4 years old, lives with her mother and two siblings in Tanzania. Sayuni's mother sells local bites like buns and Vitumbua- coconut rice pancakes- by the roadside to try and make ends meet. Sayuni was diagnosed with bilateral genu varus, which causes her legs to bow outward at the knees. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, stemming from the consumption of contaminated drinking water. As a result of her condition, Sayuni has a difficult time walking and playing. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $880 to fund corrective surgery for Sayuni. The procedure is scheduled to take place on April 17th, at Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre. Treatment should restore Sayuni's mobility, allow her to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease her risk of future complications. Sayuni’s mother says: “I have hope that my daughter will be able to walk better after the treatment.”

Mana, a 14-year-old from Cambodia, is a loving son and brother. His father is not involved in the family, and Mana stopped attending school to help support his mom at home. Mana is a rice farmer, and his mom sells home-grown vegetables at their local market with the help of Mana's sister. When Mana is not looking after the rice paddies, he likes to play football with his friends! When Mana was seven years old, he was playing with his friend in the kitchen when he fell into a wood fire where his mother was cooking, causing him to burn his left hand and fingers. They could not afford care at that time. After the burn healed, the skin around his fingers retracted and bent his fingers. Skin contractures have developed, tightening the skin around his burn, and one of his finger joints has become partially dislocated. Mana experiences pain and cannot move his fingers or hold objects in his hand. When Mana learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), he traveled for one and a half hours seeking treatment. On September 12th, surgeons at CSC will perform a burn contracture release surgery to improve the function of his hand and fingers. Now, he needs help to fund this $495 procedure. Mana and his family contributed $100 to his care. Mana's mother shared: " I hope Mana's fingers can be straightened and he can work easier."

Saw Htoo is an 11-year-old boy from Burma who lives with his parents, 4 brothers and a sister in a refugee camp, in Mae Hong Son Province, Thailand. His parents fled to the camp from Karen State, Burma, due to the civil war in 2010. Saw Htoo is in grade 4 and his favorite subject is English. His father used to work as a day laborer before travel restrictions were imposed on camp residents after the outbreak of covid-19. Since then, both of Saw Htoo’s parents are homemakers. Although they receive a small monthly cash card to purchase food in the camp, as well as free basic health care and education, they struggle to make ends meet. For the past 5 years, Saw Htoo has been brought frequently to the hospital in the camp due to having urine in his blood. He has also experienced pain while going to the bathroom, developed a fever and pain in his bladder area. He received an ultrasound, an x-ray of his kidney, ureter and bladder (KUB) and an intravenous pyelogram (IVP) and was diagnosed with a renal stone in his right renal pelvis. At a follow-up appointment in August 2023, he received another IVP which indicated that the stone was increasing in size and doctors recommended Saw Htoo have surgery to remove the stone. Saw Htoo has been experiencing pain in his back, and he often needs to take leave from school because of the pain. Fortunately, our medical partner Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF) can help. Saw Htoo is scheduled for surgery on September 8th, and BCMF is asking for help to raise $1,500 to fund the procedure. Saw Htoo said, “I want to become a football player [in the future] because I love to play football.”

Dina is an 11 year-old fifth grader, living in a coastal province of Cambodia with his parents and two siblings. His father works as a rice farmer, and his mother recently got a job in a clothing factory. When he was a year old, Dina accidentally put his right hand into a pot of boiling rice. Since then, burn scar contractures have developed, tightening the skin on his hand and fingers. As a result, it is difficult for him to perform daily activities, such as writing, and playing games with his friends. Dina and his family traveled for six hours to seek treatment. On September 6th, surgeons from our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, will perform burn contracture release surgery at Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre, which will improve the function of Dina's hand. Now he needs your help to fund this $495 procedure. Dina said he hopes that his fingers can bend more easily, and that he will be able to do better in school.

Emelyn is a 34-year-old mother of two from the Philippines. She works as a health worker, while her husband works as a traffic enforcer. In May 2022, during her pregnancy, she noticed a palpable mass in her left breast. After a few months, she experienced frequent bouts of pain in the area. She was advised to consult a surgeon. Following an assessment, it was recommended that she undergo an operation to remove the mass and have a biopsy. Due to potential threats to her pregnancy, the operation was deferred. In December 2022, one month postpartum, she was advised to undergo an ultrasound to assess the progress of her condition and have a biopsy. Unfortunately, Emelyn has now been diagnosed with breast cancer. Without treatment, the cancer may spread to other organs. A mastectomy, a surgery to remove breast tissue, has been suggested to rid her body of breast cancer and to prevent the cancer from metastasizing (spreading to other sites in the body). Fortunately, our medical partner World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP) is helping Emelyn receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a mastectomy on August 12th. A portion of the cost of her treatment is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and WSFP is requesting help to raise $1,058 to cover the remaining cost. After treatment, Emelyn will hopefully return to a cancer-free life. Emelyn shared, "Thank you, Watsi and World Surgical Foundation Philippines! Thank you for having a good heart and being willing to help people. You are a testimony that God truly provides."

Fabriana is a very happy 14-month-old baby girl from the highlands of Kenya, where her parents are small-scale farmers. She lives with them, her older sibling, and her grandparents in a semi-permanent house where her parents plant vegetables for sale. Fabriana has an umbilical protrusion that causes her pain, especially after she eats. Her family brought her to a clinic that prescribed her medication, but her condition worsened. Fabriana stopped eating regularly and has not been as playful as before. Her worried mother brought her to our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, for further diagnosis. Surgeons there will perform surgery on March 27th to alleviate her symptoms. Now, African Mission Healthcare is asking for $737 to help support this treatment. Fabriana’s mother said,”I am so uncomfortable when my baby cries with pain because of the hernia. Lately, she has not been eating well, and her weight has gone down. Kindly help her so that she may grow in a good way.”

Lucy, a 3-year-old girl, is shy with a heart full of joy. As the third and youngest child in her family, Lucy brings delight to her loved ones. Her mother shared that Lucy enjoys singing, spending time with her friends, engaging in playful activities, and assisting with household chores. Lucy's father is a farmer, while her mother oversees the household. During our medical partner's encounter with Lucy at the Nyahururu clinic, she was accompanied by her mother, who expressed concerns about a leg deformity. Her mother mentioned that Lucy has recently been limping and frequently complains of pain when walking and playing with her friends. Lucy was diagnosed with clubfoot on the right foot. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape, which causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, Lucy's family visited our medical partner's care center, AIC Cure International Hospital. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on July 12th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, requests $1,286 to fund Lucy's clubfoot repair. After treatment, she can walk without pain, continue her education and play with friends. "It would bring me joy to have Lucy walking and playing like other children," Lucy's mother told us.

Bahati is a 14-year-old girl in grade 8. She is expected to sit for her primary school national exams this year. Bahati is the second born in a family of four children. Her father passed away six years ago. Her mother is the family’s only breadwinner and works whenever she can to get jobs washing clothes for people around her community. On July 4th, Bahati was hit by a speeding motorbike as she was coming home from school. She was left unconscious and rushed to a nearby facility by well-wishers. She had an x-ray and a CT scan that revealed a fractured bone in her right leg. The fracture is affecting her studies and mobility. It is difficult for her to walk, and she cannot ambulate without support. Fortunately, our medical partner African Mission Healthcare (AMH) can help. On July 25th, Bahati will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. This procedure will help her walk easily again, and she can return to school. AMH is requesting $1,500 to fund this procedure. Bahati's mother says, “This child is a candidate who should be in school studying. This injury has caused her not to go to school because she cannot walk. We pray that she gets treatment so that she can continue with her studies."

Vireak Thet is a happy two-year-old boy from Cambodia. He lives in Phnom Penh with his parents and grandmother. His mom stays at home to care for him, and his dad works as a motorbike taxi driver. To supplement their income, his grandma sells ice cream from a cart in front of their home. Vireak Thet loves playing with the other children in the neighborhood, and eating ice cream from his grandma's cart. Last year, Vireak Thet accidentally burned his right hand with hot cooking oil. Burn scar contractures have developed, tightening the skin around his index and middle fingers. It is difficult for him to use his hand for every day activities. Fortunately, our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), can help Vireak Thet. On August 9th, surgeons at CSC's care center will perform a burn contracture release surgery to to improve the function of his hand. Now, his family needs help to fund this $495 procedure. His mom shared, "I hope he can move his fingers freely and be able to use his hand when he starts school."