"I never forgot what it was like to live with impossible decisions like whether to buy food or medicine"

I’m Charlotte. I’m 35 years old, a teacher and a mother of four, living in North Carolina. I discovered Watsi from my team message board on Kiva, where micro-lenders were discussing an amazing new nonprofit that directly funds medical treatment for needy people around the world. And you know what? I couldn’t wait to get involved.

I grew up in America, but it wasn’t the shining metropolis or the idyllic rural setting that often characterizes this country. It was a poor urban community where kids regularly went to the community center for free lunch and medical care was often delayed so that groceries could be put on the table. From this difficult setting many hands lifted me from poverty, but I never forgot what it was like to live with impossible decisions like whether to buy food or medicine or invest in education.

Now I support Watsi so that others do not have to make these heart-breaking choices. Everyone deserves a hand up, so that they can feel whole in body and spirit and begin to help themselves. Will you join me in lending a hand, helping a person with a life-altering medical condition? You can literally change a life by investing only a few dollars. If I can do it, you can too!

This is a guest post by Charlotte, a Watsi donor, teacher, and mother of four. We’d love to share your story - email it to connect@watsi.org and we’ll post it here!