Lezina is a 51-year-old woman with 3 children. She separated from her husband who later remarried and shared that she believes he left because of her medical condition. All her children are women and they got married at a tender age due to financial challenges in their family. Currently, Lezina has found it difficult to secure even a low-paying job as a maid. Lezina likes chatting with her grandchildren and enjoys eating anything that is available. Lezina indicated that she started experiencing a swelling above the umbilical area in 2020. She lived with the problem since it was on and off and was not associated with pain. Later in 2023, the swelling episodes became frequent and it began to affect her daily activities. Lezina presented herself to Kamuzu Central Hospital where different tests were done, without much help. As time passed by, in December 2023 she had increasing pains and went back to KCH where further assessments were done, and a diagnosis of hernia was made after identifying the source of pain. KCH booked Lezina on their waiting list. While still waiting, her first-born daughter met a friend who shared the good news that she was a beneficiary of Watsi's program with our partner African Mission Healthcare and recommended aher to report to PIH Hospital for support. Lezina met the surgeon at PIH who confirmed the diagnosis of hernia and the need for surgical intervention called hernia repair. A hernia is a condition in which soft tissue bulges through a weak point in the abdominal muscle. If the hernia is left untreated, the size of the protruding intestine might get bigger and become strangulated leading to the reduction of blood flow to the surrounding tissues which may be life-threatening. Lezina was referred to our program due to her financial instability. Her daughter committed to helping support her treatment and Lezina believes that the surgery will help her get back to normal life and that people will now have a different perception of her. Lezina needs your help raising $575 to fund her surgery. Lezina happily said, “I just want to get well and concentrate on my children.”

Sokneang lives with her husband and her two children. Her husband is a construction worker, and her son and daughter both attend local schools. She works in the home, cleaning, and cooking, and in her free time she enjoys watching Khmer dramas. Since 2019, Sokneang has had discharge from a small hole in front of her ear, called a pre-auricular sinus. These are common congenital abnormalities adjacent to the external ear. However, this condition makes her prone to chronic ear infections. Germs can enter the ear canal and cause an infection, resulting in swelling, soreness, and redness. For the past three months, Sokneang has had ear pain and discharge on both sides. Medications from the local pharmacy haven't helped. Frequent infections prevent her from being able to care for her family. Fortunately, our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. Sokneang and her family need $297 to cover the cost of the surgery, which will take place on February 20th. This will cover surgery, medications, and post-operative care. Sokneang says, "I hope that my ear will stop discharge, and I will not have any infections."

Happiness's baby is a newborn who is barely two weeks old. Happiness and her husband, James, have been blessed with a new baby, expanding their family to two children. They reside in Morombo, located in the Arusha region of Tanzania. Happiness is a stay-at-home mother managing the household and caring for their children, while James works diligently on their farm to provide food and sells surplus harvests for additional income. In addition to farming, James seeks casual day jobs to supplement their finances, yet despite their efforts, they find their income insufficient to cover all expenses. At times, they struggle to afford medical bills, particularly when faced with a poor harvest, making providing adequate meals for the family challenging. Happiness's baby was born with clubfoot of both feet, causing his feet to twist inward and downward. Concerned for their son’s future, the parents sought advice from the attending doctor, who recommended seeking treatment, as the condition is treatable. They were referred to our medical partner's care center for help. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, Happiness traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, Kafika House. There, the team will begin clubfoot treatment on February 16th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $935 to fund Happiness's baby's clubfoot repair. After treatment and as he grows, the baby will be able to wear shoes and walk properly. Happiness says: “I want my baby to grow up with normal feet and never bear the burden of the condition he is born with.”