Akram is a cute, curious 3-year-old from Tanzania. His mother is the family’s sole provider and works as a vendor at a local market, selling vegetables and fruits. Currently, Akram and his mother live in town to help save on living costs as he receives medical treatment, while his three siblings live with their grandmother in the village. Akram was diagnosed with bilateral genus varus, a condition in which his legs bow outwards so that his knees do not touch. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, which often stems from contaminated drinking water. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is helping Akram receive treatment. On January 6th, he will undergo surgery that will restore his mobility, allow him to participate in various activities, and significantly decrease his risk of future complications. AMH is requesting $880 to fund this procedure. Akram’s mother shared: “As a single mother struggling to provide for my children, Akram’s condition has been weighing on me.”

Kay is 43-year-old woman and garment factory worker. She lives alone on the border of Thailand and Burma. Kay supports her parents in Burma by sending them money every month. In her free time, she enjoys reading books about Buddhism. In the middle of 2021, Kay began experiencing pain and abnormal bleeding. By September of 2022, the pain and symptoms had worsened. Kay has been diagnosed with myoma, or a noncancerous growth in the uterus. She has been advised to undergo a total abdominal hysterectomy, which would surgically remove her uterus and cervix. If left untreated, Kay's symptoms will continue to worsen and put her at risk for further health complications in the future. Fortunately, Kay is scheduled to undergo her hysterectomy on September 19th. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of her procedure and care. Once recovered, she will no longer experience pain or abnormal bleeding. She will be able to go back to work, and to continue supporting her family. “When I recover fully, I will continue to work in the garment factory. I will save my money and I will pay back my debt. I will try to continue supporting my parents,” said Kay.

Jayden is a 10 month old baby boy, living with his single mother in Tanzania. Jayden was born with a right clubfoot, and with the fingers on both of his hands fused together. Jayden's father has left the family, so Jayden's mother moved to live with her parents. Her parents have suddenly passed away, leaving Jayden's mother alone to care for her child. Because she is only able to work intermittently - taking care of other people's homes - Jayden's mother is unable to pay for the full, necessary treatment for Jayden's clubfoot. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, will be able to help Jayden access the care that he needs to correct his twisted right foot. On November 4th, Jayden will undergo clubfoot repair surgery at Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre, which will enable him to wear shoes, and to walk with ease as he grows. African Mission Healthcare Foundation is seeking $935 to cover the cost of this procedure and his care. Jayden’s mother says: “I am so grateful that you are willingly helping my son to have a better life.”

Mi is a 58-year-old mother from Thailand. She lives with her husband and her three daughters. She supports her family by working as a homemaker. Her husband does not work because he is ill. Her eldest daughter is an accountant, her second eldest daughter is a homemaker, and her youngest daughter does not work because she is attending school. Some of Mi's favorite activities include cleaning her house and growing vegetables in her garden. In February, Mi started experiencing pain in her left breast. After examining the area, she noticed a small mass. Over time, the mass increased in size and the pain worsened. She currently still experiences pain in her left breast. Although she takes medication, it only alleviates her pain temporarily. Because of this, she cannot cook or clean, and her daughter has had to take over the household chores. Fortunately, Mi sought treatment through our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund. She is now scheduled to undergo mass removal surgery on July 12th. She is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of her procedure and care. Mi shares, “I want to get better soon. Then my second eldest daughter can find work so that we can pay back our debt. I want to live happily with my family for the rest of my life.”

Thu Zar is a 21-year-old woman who lives with her parents, three sisters, and three nieces in Mae Sot near the Thailand-Burma border. Her family moved from Shan State in Burma to Thailand in 2008 in search of better opportunities. She used to work at a logistics company until two weeks ago when she quit due to her condition. Her parents run a small shop from their home, and her oldest sister is a cleaner at a restaurant. One of her other sister’s is unemployed and her third sister as well as her three nieces all go to school. In 2015, Thu Zar felt a small mobile mass in her chest. She did not feel any pain at the time and forgot about the mass. In 2019, she attended a workshop about reproductive health at her school, run by Mae Tao Clinic (MTC). During the workshop she remembered the mass and later when she was alone, she checked to see if it was still there. She felt the mass and thought that it had increased in size, but she did not experience any pain. The next day, she told the workshop trainer about the mass. The trainer told her to go to MTC for treatment. However, Thu Zar decided she did not want to take time off from school to go to the clinic, since she thought the mass was not causing her any pain or discomfort. Now, Thu Zar's condition has worsened and causes her great pain. She can only sleep on her back, because if she sleeps in any other position she experiences immense pain. Thu Zar sought treatment through our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund. She is now scheduled to undergo mass removal surgery on June 9th to heal her condition. She is raising $1,500 to cover the total cost of her procedure and care. Thu Zar is very worried about her health and told us, "I feel very sad and depressed with this condition."

Thomas is a sweet three-week-old baby from Kenya. He is the youngest in a family of four children. His father works as a luggage carrier, and his mother does laundry and other house chores for people to help provide for their family. Thomas was born at a hospital near their home. At birth, he was diagnosed with spina bifida, as well as clubfoot. Spina bifida is a type of neural tube condition in which the spine does not properly close around the spinal cord. Without treatment, Thomas is at risk of lower-limb paralysis, infection of the exposed nervous tissue, development of tethered cord syndrome, and possible developmental delays. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,151 to cover the cost of Thomas's spina bifida closure surgery. The procedure is scheduled to take place on August 31st. This procedure will hopefully spare Thomas from the risks associated with his condition, instead allowing him to grow and develop along a healthy trajectory. Thomas’s father says, “Currently, we are very stressed because of our child’s condition. We are requesting for any help to see him become well.”

Catherine works hard to care for her two children. She currently lives with her partner who works different part-time jobs to help make ends meet for their family. A month ago, Catherine began experiencing abdominal pain. She got checked at her local health center and was advised to undergo an ultrasound. The test showed that she is suffering from Cholecystolithiasis, a condition where there are one or more gallstones in her gallbladder. Their family already finds it hard to sustain their day-to-day needs, so didn't know where to find the money for her needed surgery. Fortunately, a health center worker knew about our partner care facility, the Our Lady of Peace Hospital, and was able to reach out to World Surgical Foundation Philippines and Watsi for support. Catherine is now scheduled to undergo surgery to correct her condition on April 7th. Our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines, is requesting $1,253 to cover the total cost of Catherine's procedure and care. After her recovery, Catherine will no longer experience severe abdominal pain or be at risk of developing severe health complications in the future. “My maintenance medicine costs more than our daily meal budget. I’m grateful to WSFP and WATSI for helping us. Aside from the fact that I’ll be free from pain, I can now take good care of my children,” she shared.