Thi Ha is a three-year-old boy from Burma. He lives with his mother and an older sister in a village in Karen State, Burma. His mother is a stay-at-home parent, and his sister goes to school. His father works in Bangkok, Thailand, as a cleaner in a market to support his family. When Thi Ha was born, his mother noticed a mass at the bottom of Thi Ha’s spine. As he grew older, the mass grew larger and started causing him pain, even if something soft touched it. Thi Ha and his mother visited our medical partner’s care center, Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital, where the doctors wanted Thi Ha to undergo an MRI to diagnose his condition and prepare an appropriate treatment plan for Thi Ha. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $968 to cover the cost of Thi Ha’s MRI and care, scheduled for February 13. His mother said, “Sometimes his friends do not care and ignore him because of his disease. Then Thi Ha feels embarrassed and upset with his friends.”

Brenda, who is 24 years old, lives in Uganda with her husband and niece. While she once worked at a local brewery, she now does small scale farming, which provides food for the table, but no income. Her husband is a contractor, who also has a grocery store. Brenda is currently expecting a new baby. Her first pregnancy did not produce a live birth, and because she delivered via a Caesarean section the first time, her doctors are strongly recommending another C-section for the upcoming birth, to ensure the safety of both Brenda and the baby. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Brenda undergo a C-section on December 12th, at Uganda Martyr's Ibanda Hospital. This procedure will cost $207, and Brenda needs your support. Brenda says: "I have high hopes that my surgery will be successful and I will be able to have a live baby and get rid of the scar pain. This time after the surgery, I will have enough rest and later resume my daily activities. My second plan is to join an institution and get skills in hairdressing.’’

Antonio is a 60-year-old man from Philippines, married with three children. He works as a driver at a local government unit and earns about $173 a month. Last year, Antonio began having troubling symptoms, including pain in the abdominal area that radiated through his lower back. He went to the hospital for consultation and was diagnosed with chronic calculous cholecystitis, which is an ongoing swelling and inflammation of the gall bladder. Antonio has been advised to undergo a cholecystectomy, the surgical removal of the gallbladder. If left untreated, his symptoms will continue to worsen, putting him at risk for further health complications in the future and threaten his ability to earn an income. On April 29th, Antonio is scheduled to undergo a cholecystectomy through our partner World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP). A portion of the cost of the procedure is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and Antonio needs help in raising the remaining $1,128 to cover the cost of his surgery and care. Antonio says, "I am very grateful to be a beneficiary of Watsi. This will help me recover from my condition without being in monetary debt. Thank you very much for this opportunity."