Rin is a 78-year-old retired rice farmer from Kompong Chhnang province in Cambodia. He has one daughter, two sons, and seven grandchildren. Sadly, his wife passed away almost fifteen years ago, due to complications from chronic illnesses. Rin then moved in with his daughter, who helps support him by working for a local construction company. He loves spending time with his grandkids, harvesting fruit in the village, and listening to the local Buddhist radio station. About one year ago, Rin developed a cataract in his right eye, causing him itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. A cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye, so it is like looking through a frosty or fogged-up window. He has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about potential falls while walking, which has made him reluctant to venture out independently. When Rin learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On April 1st, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in his right eye. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. Now, Rin needs help to fund this $253 procedure. Rin shared, "I hope after surgery my eye can see clearly. This would make me happy and I would feel more confident about going to the pagoda on my own."

Liam is a 3-year-old boy from Kenya. Born to a single mother, he and his older sister live with their aunt as their mother temporarily relocated to Dubai in search of better opportunities. Their aunt, who is also a single mother, has two children of her own. She cares for the children and supports the family through beadwork. On April 12th, Liam was playing indoors when he accidentally fell out of a chair and injured his left elbow. He was promptly taken to the nearby hospital, where an X-ray revealed a closed fracture dislocation of his left hand. The doctors at the hospital recommended surgery for the fracture, but due to financial constraints, Liam's family decided to seek assistance from our medical partners at Nazareth Hospital. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On April 18th, Liam will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. The treatment will alleviate pain and restore his hand's function. Furthermore, as he is still growing, it will reduce the risk of the fracture healing with deformity, which could further impair his hand function long-term. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1.049 to fund this procedure. Liam's Aunt said, “I am so desperate and don’t know what to do with him anymore. I hope he can get help so that at least his hand can be well again, as we plan to take him to school soon.”

Sophearith is a 9-year-old student from Phnom Penh, Cambodia. His mother works as a tailor, and his father drives a TukTuk. Sophearith is the youngest in his family, with three older siblings. He is in the 4th grade and enjoys math and P.E. classes. In his free time, he likes to play soccer with his friends, and his dream is to become a professional soccer player one day! About seven months ago, Sophearith began experiencing difficulty breathing at night, snoring, sore throats, difficulty eating, and weight loss. The frequent illness is causing him to miss school. He was recently diagnosed with enlarged tonsils and adenoids, which, if not treated, will cause his symptoms to persist and possibly intensify over time. Fortunately, our medical partner is helping Sophearith undergo tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy surgery on April 8th. During the procedure, the surgeons will remove his tonsils and adenoids, hopefully relieving Sophearith of his symptoms and helping him live much more comfortably. Sophearith and his family contributed $100, but need an additional $265 to fund this procedure. Sophearith shared: "I hope I can feel better and breathe easier after my operation."