Dorcas is a 3-year-old girl and the last-born in a family of four children. Her father is a casual laborer getting jobs whenever he can while her mother is a housewife. They work hard, but are having a difficult time making ends meet. Dorcas was diagnosed with genu valgus. Her legs bow inward so that her knees touch. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, which often stems from contaminated drinking water. As a result, she has pain and difficulty in walking. Through Watsi funding, Dorcas had her first stage surgery which helped to correct her legs, but given how severely they were impacted, she has now been scheduled for a final surgery. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $880 to fund corrective surgery for Dorcas. The procedure is scheduled to take place on May 10th. Treatment will hopefully restore Dorcas's full mobility, allow her to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease her risk of future complications. Dorcas’s father says: “Thank you for helping my daughter have her first surgery, it helped correct her legs and now she needs one more surgery."

Rehiwilzahra is a sweet toddler from Haiti. She lives in Port-au-Prince with her mother, father, and three older siblings. Rehiwilzahra likes watching cartoons and playing with her older siblings. Rehiwilzahra has a cardiac condition called Tetralogy of Fallot. This heart condition involves several related heart defects including a hole between the two lower chambers of the heart, and a muscular blockage of one of the valves. These defects prevent blood from circulating properly through the lungs leaving Rehiwilzahra weak and short of breath. The surgery Rehiwilzahra needs to heal is not available in Haiti, so she will need to fly to the Dominican Republic to undergo cardiac surgery to close the hole in her heart with a patch and remove the blockage from her valve. Our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance is helping Rehiwilzahra's family raise $1,500 to cover the cost of labs, medicines, and follow-up appointments. This amount also supports passport obtainment and the social workers to accompany Rehiwilzahra's family overseas. Rehiwilzahra's mother shared, "We have been praying for a long time for a solution to our daughter's heart problem. We are very thankful to everyone who is helping her!"

Yam is a 50-year-old vendor of traditional Khmer cakes. She has three daughters and five grandchildren. She lives with her youngest daughter who is a garment worker. When not cooking or selling cakes, she likes to play with her grandchildren and listen to the news on the radio. One year ago, Yam developed a cataract in her left eye, causing her photophobia, difficulty seeing in low or bright lights, and blurry vision. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so is not able to go places on her own. When Yam learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled far across the country for eight hours seeking treatment. On May 3rd, doctors will perform a phacoemulsification cataract surgery, and an intraocular lens implant in her left eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly again. Now, she needs help to fund this $253 procedure. "I hope after surgery I can see better. I want to be able to sell Khmer cakes to help support my daughter's family as I did before," says Yam.