Meet the Team Behind: Watsi

Watsi uses technology to connect people around the world to fund life-changing medical care for patients in need— making healthcare more accessible, transparent, and personal. Learn more about their work here! 

Can you tell me about your mission? 

Watsi funds healthcare for people around the world, allowing people to directly donate to life-changing medical procedures. We’re working to make healthcare accessible for everyone, and to simplify the process of funding necessary procedures for those in need. We’ve supported over 33,000 patients from 35 countries including Bolivia, Ghana, Somalia, India, Cambodia, Haiti, Venezuela, and many more. Along the way, we’ve funded over $20 million in healthcare procedures. 

How does the platform work? 

When you support a patient on Watsi, you always know your impact. Donors “meet” a patient on our website and then fund their care by donating as little as $5 or as much as their entire procedure. 100% of every donation made on Watsi directly funds healthcare for the patient you choose. We even pay the credit card processing fees. Our operating expenses are covered separately by foundations, philanthropists (of all sizes!), and supporters who choose to contribute extra to Watsi when making a donation. Donors receive updates after the patient receives their needed healthcare, keeping them in the loop about how their money saved a life. 

Who are your medical partners? 

Our medical partners are on-the-ground organizations around the world who provide reliable healthcare to underserved populations in low-income countries. They have to maintain the highest ethical standards and meet extensive criteria in order to work with us. Our partners meet with patients and submit them to Watsi if they are in need of a procedure they can’t afford. Our medical partners often subsidize these procedures, so the cost you see on patient profiles is much lower than if one were to pay out of pocket. Their facilities complete the procedures, and we provide them with the funds to cover the costs. 

Can you tell me about some of your patients? 

Anaki is an 8-year-old in Malawi. He fell while playing at school and now needs surgery to fix an arm fracture, a procedure that costs $525. Martha is an Ethiopian refugee living in Kenya with her four children. She needs $633 for a thyroidectomy to fix her symptoms from a multinodular goiter. Nahreen is a three-year-old living in Tanzania who was diagnosed with bilateral genu varus, a condition that will affect her ability to walk if left untreated. Nahreen needs $810 to fund a procedure that will restore her mobility. When five-month-old Mili was born in Bolivia, she was diagnosed with Down Syndrome and a cardiac condition that can lead to heart failure. Her hospital needs $1,500 to fund her surgery and cardiac care.