Esther is a young girl from Kenya. She likes reading books and enjoys going to school. Her family lives in a rural village, and she is the youngest in her family. Esther's mother is a business woman, while her father is a laborer on construction sites. Esther's right foot is affected by clubfoot, a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. She was born with hemiplegic CP, which means the right side of her body is weakened. Her condition has greatly impacted Esther and has made it difficult for her to engage with her peers at school. Earlier Esther was taken to a hospital, where she was given an orthosis to help correct her condition without surgery, however, she hasn't received treatment since then. Fortunately, Esther now traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, AIC Cure International Hospital. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on January 16th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,286 to fund Esther's surgery. After treatment, she will be able to walk more easily and proceed with her studies uninterrupted. Esther’s mother says, “I am appealing for your financial help so that my daughter can walk well like other girls.”

Meet Aman, a smart, kind, five year old boy, who lives with his family in Ethiopia. Aman likes to help care for his siblings, and to play football. While his parents are farmers, his mother has been unable to work, of late, due to an issue with her eyes. Aman's mother shared that he developed visible changes to the shape of his abdomen, swelling, pain and bloating. Ultimately, he has been diagnosed with a mass on his abdominal wall. As a result of this mass, Aman experiences a variety of challenging symptoms, while his parents are emotionally distressed from watching their child suffer. With the assistance of our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, Aman is now scheduled for an abdominal resection - the removal of the mass - on January 5th, at BethanyKids Myungsung Christian Medical Centre. The cost of Aman's procedure and care is $1,500, and their family needs your help to fund this procedure to alleviate Aman's suffering. Aman's mother says: “I want him to recover from this disease and be healthy. After this treatment I wish for him to play like his friends. I hope he will get married one day, and I want to see my grandchildren in the future.”

Zera is a five-year-old girl and the firstborn child in her family of two. She is a curious girl and very helpful with her young sister at home. Zera has not started school yet, but her parents hope to enroll her in school when she is seven years old.  Zera was born with a right clubfoot; a condition whereby her foot is curved inward at the ankle making it hard and painful to walk. Her parents and relatives tried to get her treatment at nearby clinics and were referred to other hospitals. Unfortunately, they could not afford to go. Zera has been experiencing difficulty in walking and playing due to the way her leg is curved. A few months ago Zera's aunt had her child treated at Watsi's Medical Partner's Care Center ALMC Hospital where she shared about Zera's condition. Zera's aunt told their family about the hospital hoping she could be assisted. Zera's parents are subsistence farmers who do not earn enough to pay for Zera's medical care and they need help so that Zera can start her treatment. This will allow Zera to be able to walk without difficulty when she starts school. Fortunately, Zera's family traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on December 15th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $935 to fund Zera's clubfoot repair. After treatment, she will be able to walk easily and free of pain. Zera shared with us, “I feel pain when walking, I cannot walk fast or run like my friends. I will be very happy if I receive treatment and be able to walk.”

Marline is a 7-year-old boy from Kenya. He is a cheerful boy and a Grade 2 student at Jayden Academy. Marline wants to be an engineer when he grows up. Marline's mother says that he loves to dismantle and assemble electronics in the house, and is well on his way to his career dreams. Additionally, Marline has a condition called spina bifida. Earlier in April 2020, Marline was playing with his friends when his mother noticed a small pimple-like wound on his right foot. It was small at first, but slowly started to grow bigger in size. His mother rushed him to a nearby health centre in their hometown, where he has been undergoing dressing in the facility but they have not seen much improvement. Since Marline has been coming to Kijabe Hospital for his spina bifida clinic, he opted to seek review in the hospital and get this wound checked. He was reviewed a week ago by the plastic and pediatric surgical teams, who recommended that he undergoes debridement, excision of calcaneal ulcer, and flap cover surgery to clean and heal his infected wound. Currently, Marline is in pain and at risk for further infection. If left unattended, the wound may result in severe infection and possible amputation. Unfortunately, these procedures are costly for Marline's family. His mother is a single mother raising two kids on her own. Their family lives in a bedsitter house in Ruai, at the outskirts of Nairobi. Marline's father left the family and his responsibility. Marline's mother is the sole breadwinner of the family and she has a small grocery kiosk. The total profit from the venture is very small, and her close relatives are not able to assist with financial support. Their family appeals for help. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Marline receive treatment. On January 6th, surgeons will perform a debridement and skin graft procedure to help heal the wound and prevent possible complications. Now, Marline's family needs help to fund this $1,185 procedure. Marline's mother says, “This wound is worsening by the day. If left unattended, doctors say that he might lose his leg. This would be hurting all of us. Kindly help us as we really don’t have a way out."

Mary is a bright eight-year-old girl in nursery school in Kenya. She was diagnosed with spina bifida at birth, a condition where the spine doesn’t fully form and leaves an opening. She had surgery early and later a shunt insertion from hydrocephalus. Children born with spina bifida are prone to decubitus and wounds resulting from too much pressure, unfortunately Mary has not been an exception. She had been doing fine until she joined school this year. As a result of sitting on the same spot for long hours, Mary developed pressure ulcers in her gluteal region and this prompted the doctors to create a colostomy to aid in passing stool. It’s been close to four months now, and the created opening has healed up. A colostomy closure is now needed. If not closed, Mary is at risk of acquiring infections at the colostomy site and scarring due to occasional leakages. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $619 to cover the cost of a colostomy closure for Mary. The surgery is scheduled and, once completed, will hopefully allow her to live more comfortably and confidently. “I hope she will not go through what she has been again. The pressure ulcers were quite painful,” says Mary’s mother.

Emmanuel is a baby from Kenya. He is the youngest of two children. The family hails from Kayole, Nairobi, Kenya. His mother is a single parent and works as a vendor. Emmanuel has a rare condition called an amniotic band that requires surgery. He is unable to walk, and his mother that his condition will worsen as he grows. Fortunately, he is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on January 27. The procedure will cost $1,165. His mother says, “I will appreciate any kind of support I receive. And God bless you for creating time to listen to me.”

Godsgift is a baby from Kenya. To earn money, his father works on construction sites and his mother mends clothes. They have six other children as well. When Godsgift was born, he was diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition that causes cerebrospinal fluid to accumulate in the brain. He was referred to our medical partner's care center for treatment. Without treatment, he will experience developmental delays. Fortunately, Godsgift is scheduled to undergo brain surgery on January 29. The procedure will cost $634.

Lastin is a baby from Kenya. She is the youngest in a family of four children. Lastin has been diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain and increases intracranial pressure. Without treatment, Lastin will experience severe physical and developmental delays. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $685 to cover the cost of surgery for Lastin that will treat her hydrocephalus. The procedure is scheduled to take place on February 4 and will drain the excess fluid from Lastin's brain. This will reduce intracranial pressure and greatly improve her quality of life. With proper treatment, Lastin will hopefully develop into a strong, healthy young girl. “I came all the way with the little transport money I had to BethanyKids in faith that somehow we will get assistance," says Lastin’s mother.

Rida is a girl from Cambodia. She has one brother and one sister. She likes to play with friends, watch TV, and go for walks with her family. She wants to be a banker when she grows up. Rida was born with scoliosis, which is progressing with age, making it difficult to sit in school for long periods, and causing a lot of discomfort. Surgery can help correct the position of her spine, and prevent further worsening of the condition. Spinal surgery is scheduled for January 21 and will cost $1,500. Her mother says, "I hope my daughter feels better after the operation and does not have any more difficulty sleeping."

Yeimy is a fun-loving 11-year-old girl from Guatemala. She lives with her parents and sister. Yeimy loves playing with her little sister and going to school. At school she enjoys playing with friends and pretending to be a ballerina. She hopes to one day become a nurse. When Yeimy was a newborn, she sustained an injury that caused the loss of one of her legs. On July 19, Yeimy will be fitted for a custom prosthetic leg at our medical partner's care center, Hospital Regional de Zacapa. Our medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq, is asking for $1,166 to cover the cost of her prosthetic leg. Having a prosthetic will allow Yeimy to dance like she's never danced before! “I am so excited to receive this prosthetic because then I won’t get tired anymore," says Yeimy. "Now I know that I will achieve my dreams.”

Salomon is a six-month-old baby from Haiti. He lives in a small city with his parents and two older brothers. His father is a day laborer, and his mother sometimes works in the market. He is a cheerful and outgoing baby. He was born with Tetralogy of Fallot, a rare heart condition caused by several heart defects, including a hole between two chambers of the heart and a muscular blockage in one of the heart's valves. As a result, not enough oxygen is delivered to his body, leaving him sickly and weak. Without surgery, the condition is fatal. Salomon will fly to the Cayman Islands to receive treatment. On June 20, he will undergo cardiac surgery. This $17,000 surgery is subsidized by Have a Heart Cayman. Salomon's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep. The $1,500 bill covers labs, medicines, and checkup and followup appointments. It also supports passport obtainment and the social workers from our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, who will accompany Salomon's family overseas. Watsi is also fundraising for his [transportation](https://watsi.org/profile/2a1ac1faff9e-salomon). "I will pray for God's blessings on everyone who is helping my son have surgery!" says Salomon's mother.

Ketchina is an eight-year-old girl from Haiti. She lives with her parents, and two sisters. She is in the third grade and enjoys drawing and playing with dolls. Ketchina was born with tricuspid atresia, a condition in which her heart only has three valves, instead of the normal four. This prevents oxygen-rich blood from properly circulating throughout her body. On July 11, Ketchina will be traveling from her home in Haiti to our medical partner's care center, Health City Cayman Islands, in the Cayman Islands. There she will undergo heart surgery. Our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, is asking for $1,500 to help cover the cost of Ketchina's surgery prep. Another organization, Have a Heart Cayman, has contributed $27,000 towards her treatment. We are also fundraising for her [transportation costs](https://watsi.org/profile/e94e481a0a43-ketchina). "I will be glad for the surgery to be over so that we can let Ketchina go to school and play with her friends without worrying about her," says Ketchina's mother.