Yadesa is an 80-year-old man from Ethiopia. He is a retired merchant who spent his life working hard and building an independent life. Since the deeply sad loss of his beloved wife, he has found comfort and support by moving in with one of his two brothers. One year ago, Yadesa developed a cataract in his right eye, causing him blurry vision and burning sensation. A cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye, blurring vision. For a man who spent his whole life actively connecting with the world through buying and selling, this slow darkening of his sight is truly heartbreaking. It has made it incredibly hard for him to talk and spend time with his loved ones, enjoy the world around him, and hold onto the dignity and independence that have always defined who he is. Fortunately, Yadesa is scheduled to undergo cataract surgery with the help of our medical partner, Saglan Wajee General Hospital. Surgeons will remove and replace the blurred lens. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. Now, he needs help to raise $150 to fund this procedure. Yadesa shared, "I hope to regain the independence I so deeply miss, allowing me to navigate my home and enjoy the company of my brother with newfound ease and confidence."

Sopheak is a 14-year-old boy from Cambodia. He is a 10th-grade-student who enjoys math and has dreams of becoming a teacher one day. His parents earn a living selling lunch, while his older brother works as a motorcycle mechanic. In Sopheak's free time, he likes listening to music and watching movies. His favorite foods are fried eggs and caramelized pork. Sopheak was born with a cleft lip and underwent cleft lip repair surgery in 2012. However, he still has a notch along the border of his upper lip. As he has grown older, he has become increasingly concerned about the appearance of his nose and experiences difficulty breathing. These concerns have affected how he feels about his appearance, and he hopes further treatment will help him feel more comfortable and confident as he grows up. After his initial surgery, he was advised to return when he was older for further correction. He followed this advice, travelling two hours back to our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), for another assessment. On October 26th, 2026, he is scheduled to undergo rhinoplasty using rib cartilage, alar reduction, and lip scar revision to improve the shape of his nose and address the remaining concerns with his lip. His family needs $360 in support to help him receive the treatment he needs. Sopheak's mother said, “I’m happy that my son has the chance to receive further treatment. He has been unhappy with the shape of his nose for a long time, and sometimes he also has difficulty breathing. I hope this surgery will help him breathe more comfortably and feel more confident about himself as he grows up.”

Toul is a 64-year-old cook from Cambodia. During her free time, she likes to watch movies. About one year ago, Toul developed a cataract in her left eye, causing her 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. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so she is not able to go places on her own. When Toul learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On October 22nd, doctors will perform a phacoemulsification cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in her left eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Toul can contribute $50, but needs help raising $213 more to help fund her procedure and care. Toul shared, "I hope after surgery, I can see better so I can work and go outside on my own."