Mesa is 10 years old and a Grade 4 student from Cambodia. He lives with his parents and younger brother in Kompong Spue Province. His parents run a small shop where they take photos for students and print documents. He enjoys math at school, looks after his younger brother, and plays football with friends in his village. His favorite meal is lemongrass sour soup with eggs. When Mesa was one year old, he was burned by hot water, causing an injury to his left hand. He received a skin graft to the back of his hand at a governmental hospital, followed by a release of the fourth web space about a year later. He has since developed burn scar contractures between the second, third, and fourth fingers. The scars between his fingers restrict the spaces between them and make it difficult for him to fully straighten his left-hand fingers. He sometimes struggles to hold objects, and the appearance of his hand makes him feel shy around other people. Mesa's family learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, and sought treatment. On September 15th, surgeons at CSC will perform a burn contracture release surgery to help open the tight spaces between his fingers and improve the movement of his left hand, making it easier for him to straighten his fingers and hold things. Now, he needs help to fund this $652 procedure. Mesa's father said, “I hope this surgery will help my son straighten his fingers and use his left hand more easily when holding things. I also hope that as his hand improves, he will feel less shy and more confident around other people.”

Diriba is 75 years old and a father of nine from Ethiopia. He is a farmer who has spent his whole life working the land alongside his wife. For over a year, cataracts have clouded Diriba's left eye, and he has completely lost vision in that eye over the past month. At the same time, age has weakened the vision in his right eye, leaving him almost completely blind. This sudden loss of sight has abruptly stopped his active life. Once a proud and independent man who loved farming and spending time with his community, he now depends entirely on others for everyday tasks. He can no longer visit friends, join family gatherings, or see his children and grandchildren clearly. This has placed a heavy emotional burden on both him and his wife as they hope for the return of his sight, freedom, and dignity. Fortunately, Diriba is scheduled to undergo cataract surgery with the help of our medical partner, Saglan Wajee General Hospital. On September 6th, surgeons will remove and replace the clouded lens. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. Now, he needs help to raise $150 to fund this procedure. Diriba shares, "I hope to get my eyesight back so I can be independent again and do my daily tasks easily. I look forward to visiting friends, joining family gatherings, and enjoying life with my wife and large family."

Hory is an 80-year-old man and a retired rice farmer from Cambodia. He is a widower, and he has one son, three daughters, and five grandchildren. He currently lives with his oldest daughter, who is a housewife. His favorite hobbies are listening to the radio, praying with monks, and attending religious ceremonies. Hory has had a cataract in his right eye for the past three years. This causes 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 falling when walking, so he is not able to go places on his own. When Hory learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On September 3rd, doctors will perform a phacoemulsification cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in his right eye. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. Now, he needs help to fund this $263 procedure. Hory shared, "I hope that after the surgery, my vision will improve so that I can see more clearly and go outside more easily. I hope to grow some vegetables around the house and participate in religious ceremonies more comfortably."