Nwe is a mother of a two-year-old daughter from Thailand. Currently, she and her husband both work as day laborers for local farmers, harvesting chilies and other vegetables. At home, Nwe enjoys spending time with and caring for her daughter. She also likes being employed and earning money. Nwe started to experience pain in her abdomen a year ago. The pain makes it difficult for her to move around and causes extreme exhaustion. She has been diagnosed with fibroids, which are benign growths in the uterus. She needs to undergo a myomectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove the fibroids. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), is requesting $960 to fund Nwe's surgery. She is scheduled to undergo her myomectomy on November 1 at BCMF's care center, Mae Sot General Hospital. Nwe says, "I hope for a healthy future where I can work and help provide for my family."

“Thank you for your help,” says Chilezi, a 60-year-old man from Malawi. Chilezi lives with his wife and extended family. A tailor, Chilezi works very hard making clothes, and he also cultivates a small maize farm to support his family. Since January, Chilezi has been experiencing pain due to an enlarged prostate. In addition to this daily discomfort, Chilezi risks developing dangerous complications, such as bladder stones and kidney damage, if his condition goes untreated. There is a surgical procedure known as prostate resection that can solve Chilezi’s problem. This operation will remove part of his enlarged gland, alleviating his pain and allowing him to urinate more easily. This surgery—as well as the necessary lab tests, medications, and travel to and from the hospital—is beyond Chilezi’s financial means. But for $733, we can pay all of these bills. With your help fundraising this total, his procedure will take place on September 5. Chilezi and his family were happy to be introduced to Watsi. He is looking forward to having his operation and being well again.

Witzer is an eighth-grade student from Haiti. He lives with his parents and older sister in Jacmel, a city on Haiti's south coast. He is an excellent student and hopes to become an engineer. Witzer has a cardiac condition called ventricular septal defect. A hole exists between the two lower chambers of his heart. Blood leaks through this hole without first passing through his lungs to obtain oxygen, leaving him short of breath. On October 2, he will undergo cardiac surgery at St. Damien Hospital, our medical partner's care center. During surgery, Surgeons will close the hole by sewing a patch across it. Another organization, Gift of Life International, is contributing $5000 to pay for surgery. Witzer's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep. The $1,500 requested by our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, covers cardiac exams and medications. He says, "I am excited that I will be able to stop worrying about my heart any longer!"

Jonalyn is a four-year-old girl living in the Philippines with her aunt. Jonalyn's biological parents have separated, and her aunt is her primary guardian. During the day, she helps her aunt do household chores, such as washing the dishes and cleaning the house. When Jonalyn was two years old, she was diagnosed with Hirshsprung's Disease, a congenital disorder where there are missing nerve cells in the muscle tissue surrounding the colon, causing bowel dysfunction. Our medical partner, International Care Ministries, has scheduled a procedure to correct this condition. The total cost of the procedure is $1,500, and covers supplies, medications, transportation, and six days of inpatient care. The procedure is scheduled for July 26.

Ruth is a 14-year-old student who lives in Haiti with her mother, grandmother, and sister. She enjoys going to school and to church, and Ruth would like to study to become a nurse. Ruth suffers from mitral regurgitation, which she contracted from a rheumatic fever several years ago. With this condition, blood leaks backward into the left atrium and could result in heart failure if not treated. Our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, is requesting $1,343 to fund Ruth's air transport to the Cayman Islands, where her treatment is scheduled to take place on July 5. Once there, Ruth will receive the care that she needs and will hopefully be able to live more comfortably. "I am a little scared of my surgery, but I know that God will protect me and make everything go well," says Ruth.

Samuel is a 24-year-old young man from a small community in Kenya now living in Nairobi. He is not yet married and is the child of a single mother. Since Samuel's mother is a farmer currently providing for his other three siblings, Samuel decided to move to Nairobi to lessen her financial burden. On April 29, he accidentally fell and fractured the wrist joint of his left hand while working on a construction site. He visited the hospital and learned that he would need extensive orthopedic surgery. If he does not receive the operation soon, the joint will not heal correctly. On May 11, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, will be conducting his procedure at Nazareth Hospital. Our partner is seeking $998 to fund his procedure, fourteen nights of hospital stay, as well as ten additional rehabilitation therapy sessions. Samuel says, "I look forward to successful treatment so that I can be able to go back to my work and become self reliant."

Ngun is 65 years old. She is married and has four sons, three daughters, and 13 grandchildren. She likes to listen to monks pray on the radio and do housework in her free time. Ngun developed a cataract in her right eye about eight years ago, causing her blurred vision, itchiness, cloudy lenses, photophobia (extreme sensitivity to light), and tearing. It is difficult for her to see things clearly, recognize faces, do any type of work, and go anywhere outside by herself. Ngun knew about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), because her granddaughter had surgery there before. She traveled for three hours with her grandson to reach CSC for treatment. The doctors at CSC are recommending surgery to help her condition. Her surgery is scheduled for May 29. The procedure will cost $153. Her family cannot afford this treatment and are appealing to Watsi for financial assistance. After surgery in her right eye, Ngun will be able to see clearly again. She will also be able to gain her independence back.

Sann is a 63-year-old farmer from Cambodia. He comes from a large family, having three sisters and five brothers. During his free time, he enjoys construction work and tending to his cows. Several decades ago, Sann noticed a small nodule in the palm of his right hand. Over the years, this mass has been increasing in size. Two years ago, Sann went to a local hospital to finally remove the mass, but complications arose post-surgical removal. The site eventually became infected and painful. Sann, accompanied by his wife, traveled four hours to reach our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), for treatment. The surgeons at CSC plan to inspect the site and remove any concerning tissue. CSC is requesting $224 to help fund this procedure, scheduled for May 17. After this intervention, Sann will feel much more comfortable using his hand.

Meet Paly, a 19-year-old farmer from Cambodia. He has four younger brothers and two younger sisters. In his spare time, he helps his mother with housework and plays football. As a child, Paly developed an infection in his left ear, which eventually spread to his right ear. He went to a hospital in Phnom Penh to seek treatment, but his symptoms did not improve. Paly experiences ear discharge, hearing loss, and tinnitus (ringing in the ear). He has had to stop work due to his condition. Paly and his mother traveled for one hour to reach our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC). ENT surgeons at CSC have diagnosed Paly with ruptured eardrums and otitis media (middle ear infection). On March 13, surgeons will perform a myringoplasty in each ear to repair the perforated eardrums and prevent further infection. Over time, Paly's hearing will improve. With $831, we can help Paly restore his ability to hear and get back to work!

Elisha is a three-year-old girl from the Philippines. She enjoys playing hide-and-seek with the neighborhood kids. She lives in her grandparents' house with her three siblings. Elisha has been diagnosed with moderately acute malnutrition. Malnutrition threatens her growth and development and could even be fatal if not addressed. Fortunately, she will begin $184 malnutrition treatment on February 21. Elisha will be treated by International Care Ministries (ICM), a Watsi medical partner. One out of five children under five in ICM communities is either severely or moderately malnourished. Worldwide, poor nutrition is associated with nearly half of all deaths in young children. In remote communities and urban slums of the Philippines, the lack of clean water and unclean environments add risk to potentially fatal childhood diseases. ICM’s home-based feeding program provides nutrient-enriched food packs to ensure malnourished children get additional food to regain normal weight and achieve optimum physical and mental development. After identifying a child as malnourished, staff and community volunteers make weekly visits to monitor this child’s progress. To help sustain the health of the child, ICM’s professional staff educate the mother, guardian, or other family members about proper nutrition, sanitation, hygiene, and organic vegetable gardening. Elisha's mother says, "I really hope Elisha recovers from malnutrition and grows strong and healthy."

Five-year-old Malia lives with her parents and older siblings in Haiti. She is especially attached to her father, who works in construction. Malia was born with a cardiac condition called atrial septal defect. A hole exists between the two upper chambers of her heart. As a result, blood leaks through this hole without first passing through the lungs to obtain oxygen, leaving her feeling weak. To close the hole in her heart, Malia will need surgery. First, Malia will undergo a full cardiac assessment on January 18. This assessment will include physical exams, labs, and an overnight stay at the hospital. Our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, is requesting $1,500 to fund these procedures. Funding for Malia also covers the cost of medications and social support for her and her family. Gift of Life International is contributing $3,500 to cover additional costs associated with Malia's surgical care. "I want to thank everyone for being so kind and caring to my daughter and to our family," shares Malia's father.

Kenedy is a toddler from Guatemala. He lives with his parents and sister. He enjoys playing with his sister and is learning how to walk without any help! Kenedy was recently diagnosed with acute malnutrition, a kind of malnutrition characterized by a weight that is dangerously low for a person's height. Previously, he had been [treated](https://watsi.org/profile/6d03c3d5835e-kenedy) for chronic malnutrition, characterized by stunted growth. On February 13, Kennedy will begin treatment at our medical partner's care center, Clinic Miller. Our medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq, is asking for $782 to cover the cost of Kenedy's nutritional supplements. Funds will also go toward educating his mother on how to create a hearty diet for him. "I want to express my gratitude for the support my son has received from you all. God bless you," says Kenedy's mother. "My desire has always been to see him improve and grow each day."