Nim is a 58-year-old retired rice farmer from Kampong Thom province in Cambodia. She divorced and has one daughter and three grandchildren. Nim lives with her daughter who is a rice farmer. She likes to listen to the monks pray at the pagoda. About three years ago,, Nim developed a pterygium in her left eye, causing her itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. Pterygiums are non-cancerous growths of the conjunctiva, a mucous layer that lubricates the eye. The growths occur when the conjunctiva is exposed to excessive sun damage, wind or dust and the cells grow abnormally over the pupil. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, working, and going anywhere outside. When Nim learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for three hours seeking treatment. Nim needs a surgical procedure to remove the affected conjunctiva from the cornea surface and replace it with a conjunctival graft to prevent recurrence. Nim is contributing towards the cost of her treatment, but needs help raising $286 more to fund the surgery, that is scheduled for June 9th. Nim says: "I hope that after surgery my eye will stop tearing and the irritation will disappear. I look forward to going back to helping my daughter in taking care my grandchildren, and also visit places."

Deborah is a 27-year-old mother of two from Kenya. Her husband is a small-scale farmer, while she stays home to manage their household and care for their children. When Deborah was two years old, she lost her hearing. She had an ear infection, underwent treatment and surgeries, but her hearing was never restored. When she was seven years old, she received hearing aids donated by missionaries. Unfortunately, she misplaced one of the hearing aids and was never able to recover it. She relied on the remaining hearing aid throughout her primary school education. Over time, her only hearing aid stopped working, leaving her with profound hearing loss. Since then, Deborah has withdrawn from social interactions, often choosing to remain at home because communicating with others has become extremely difficult. She is unable to help her children as they begin learning and growing, something that deeply saddens her. On July 8th, Deborah will be fitted with hearing aids, and our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is seeking assistance in raising $1,171. This will allow her to reconnect with her family, regain her independence, and improve her quality of life. Deborah says, "I can't help my son with his homework, and it breaks my heart to feel left out of my children's lives."

Srey Pich is a 12-year-old schoolgirl from Cambodia. She lives in Phnom Penh with her parents and two younger siblings. Her father sells snacks, and her mother works as a waitress in a restaurant. She is the eldest of three children. She enjoys mathematics at school, likes visiting her cousin's house and playing games, and dreams of opening her own salon when she grows up. When she was seven years old, Srey Pich injured her left hand in an accident involving exercise equipment. The injury resulted in contractures of the second and third fingers of her left hand, limiting their movement and function. The contractures make it difficult for her to grasp and hold objects, affecting her daily activities. She also feels embarrassed by the appearance of her hand, which has reduced her confidence. Fortunately, our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is helping Srey Pich receive treatment. On July 2nd, surgeons will perform a contracture release surgery to improve the movement and function of her left hand, and make it easier for her to hold objects and carry out everyday activities. It is also expected to improve the appearance of her hand and boost her confidence. Now, Srey Pich's family needs help to fund this $572 procedure. Her mother said, “As a mother, it has been difficult to see her struggle for so many years. I hope this treatment will improve her hand function and help her smile with confidence again.”