This is Shin, a five-year-old boy living in Thailand with his mother and father. Shin loves playing with toy cars and his mom often catches him talking about cars, too. His mother says that she wants him to go to school and study like other children, and after he has finished high school she says she will let him choose what he wants to do with his future.
When Shin was just over a month old his mother noticed he might have an eye condition when he wasn’t responding to light and other stimulus. At first, she thought her son was blind and that he would never be able to see. She only knew that her son’s condition was getting a little better when she caught him looking up at the moon. There is treatment available to provide Shin with clearer vision and prevent him from going blind. However, Shin’s father works in a furniture painting factory and his entire salary goes towards the family’s basic expenses, and there is not enough money for Shin’s treatment.
A bilateral lens replacement for both eyes will guarantee that Shin’s vision will improve. Shin’s mother tells the staff at Burma Border Projects that even if the process is long and complicated involving reoccurring doctor visits she wants to do what is best for her son. She says, “all I want is for my son to be healthy again. I want him to grow up to live a good, productive life.” For $1,500 we can give Shin the chance to improve his vision and promise him a better life.
