Simon is an 11-month-old baby and the second born in his family. He also has a twin sister. They all came together to our medical partner because the mother couldn’t leave Simon’s twin at home. Their family lives in a remote area in the western part of Tanzania. They are from a community that mainly depends on small-scale subsistence agriculture, depending on the rainy season as their major source of agriculture. They have had a good rice harvest that enables them to provide food for their family. And then they sell the little harvest surplus they have, to afford other basic needs. Simon has clubfoot of both feet. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, they visited our medical partner's care center, Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre where surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery to heal his condition. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $935 to fund Simon's clubfoot repair. After treatment, he will be able to wear shoes and walk easily. Simon’s mother says, “I wish my son to be free from this disability so that he will be able to play with his twin sister as they grow old.”

Veasna is a student in the fifth grade and has many friends, even though he describes himself as shy. In addition to his friends, Veasna loves spending time with his mom and older brother. Sadly, his dad passed away in a motorbike accident before Veasna was born. Veasna has strabismus in both eyes. Strabismus is a misalignment of the eye caused by injury or dysfunction in the associated nerves and muscles. He is having trouble reading, which is his favorite subject at school. Left untreated, he could face permanent vision problems, including double vision and issues with depth perception. Veasna's family traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On March 2nd, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), will perform a corrective procedure to align his eyes. Now, Veasna's family needs help to raise $331 to fund this procedure. His mom said, "I hope Veasna can have surgery and not be shy about his eyes."

Maribeth is a caring mother from the Philippines. She's a full-time mom to her three children, while her husband works as a grinder. In May 2022, Maribeth began to experience troubling symptoms, including fatigue, trembling hands, and masses on her neck that were growing in size. These symptoms prevent her from being able to take care of her children and do her daily chores. Maribeth sought a medical checkup, where doctors told her to undergo a neck ultrasound and biopsy. Her results indicated that she is experiencing a multiple colloid adenomatous goiter. This condition occurs when tumor formation occurs, caused by an overgrowth of thyroid tissue cells. Maribeth needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from worsening. Fortunately, our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP), is helping Maribeth receive treatment. On November 11th, she will undergo a thyroidectomy at WSFP's hospital. During this procedure, surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation is supporting a portion of the cost of her treatment, and WSFP is raising $890 to cover the remaining cost of Maribeth's procedure and care. Maribeth says, "This free surgery is a big help for me because we don't have enough money to pay for my bills. To all the hospital staff who are helping me, to WATSI and World Surgical Foundation Philippines, thank you! May God bless you, and may you help more people in need."