Yuon is a retired rice farmer and loving grandmother from Kandal province, Cambodia. Recently widowed, she moved in with her daughter and helps care for her grandchild. Her daughter and son-in-law work as rice farmers. Yuon and her daughter dream of purchasing a street cart to start making and selling traditional Cambodian cakes. In her free time, she likes cooking and praying at the nearby pagoda. About two years ago, Yuon developed a cataract in her right eye, causing her tearing and blurry vision and fear of walking up and down steps in her traditional raised village house. A cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye, so it is like looking through a frosty or fogged-up window. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so is not able to go places on her own. When Yuon learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for two hours seeking treatment. On April 3rd, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in her right eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $253 procedure. Yuon shared, "After I have surgery, I dream of a better vision. With renewed sight, I would feel safer walking around and crossing the road. I would like to take better care of my grandchild and open a business with my daughter for extra money."

Reaksa is an 11-year-old fifth grader from Cambodia. She is the oldest of four children. Reaska's mother stays home to look after the children, while her father works for a local construction company. At school, Reaska enjoys learning Math and Khmer history. Reaksa wants to become a nurse when she's older. In her free time, she plays with her siblings and the other kids in the village. She also loves to draw. Reaksa has been experiencing frequent sore throats, difficulty swallowing, snoring and coughing at night, weight loss, and recurring fevers. These frequent illnesses have caused her to miss school. Reaksa was recently diagnosed with enlarged tonsils and adenoids, which, if not treated, will cause her symptoms to persist and possibly intensify over time. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $265 to fund a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy for Reaksa, which is scheduled to take place on March 18th. Surgeons will remove her tonsils and adenoids, hopefully relieving Reaksa of her symptoms and helping her live much more comfortably. After undergoing surgery, Reaksa hopes to enjoy meals without discomfort and attend school regularly.

Racheal is a middle-aged small businesswoman from Uganda. She is the mother of one and shared that she separated from her husband due to domestic violence. She now lives with her twenty-five-year-old daughter and her grandchild. She works hard to provide for her family. Eleven years ago, Racheal began to experience troubling symptoms, including a neck swelling. It was small and painless initially but has increased in size over the years. The swelling now causes respiratory problems, worrying Racheal. A doctor examined Racheal and diagnosed a multi-nodular goiter - an enlarged thyroid gland with separate bumps (nodules) on it. Racheal needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Racheal receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on December 8th at our medical partner's care center. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $333, and Racheal and her family need help raising money. Racheal says, “I believe with your support I will have a successful surgery with a positive outcome for my life.”