Tha is a 63-year-old grandfather. He is a rice farmer and lives in Kampong Speu province with his wife and one daughter. They have two sons, five daughters, and six grandchildren. His wife watches most of the grandchildren and makes sure they get to school. His daughter works in a garment factory and helps with cooking. At home, Tha enjoys listening to radio news or monks' prayers. Five months ago, Tha developed a cataract in his left eye, causing him blurry vision and difficulty seeing in bright or low light. 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 is not able to go places on his own. When Tha learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for two hours seeking treatment. On January 24th, doctors will perform a phacoemulsification cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in his left eye. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. Now, he needs help to fund this $253 procedure. Tha said: "I feel bad and it is hard to even see the faces of my family clearly, I hope after surgery my eye can see better and I can go back to growing rice."

Bridget is a 25-year-old small-scale farmer from Uganda. She is married with two children. Her husband runs a retail shop around their village. Their oldest child is four and in the top junior class, and their youngest is almost two years old. For a year, Bridget has had a supra-umbilical hernia that causes her to experience intermittent swelling. Her condition is deteriorating, and without treatment, she worries it will lead to gut obstruction or intestinal perforation. The doctors recommend she undergo hernia repair surgery, and Bridget is scheduled to undergo treatment on April 8th. Once completed, this procedure will allow her to live more comfortably and confidently. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $170 to fund this procedure. Bridget says, “After treatment, I will thank God and will live an improved quality of life.”

Oun is a 58-year-old grandmother. She and her husband are farmers in a rural area about two and a half hours from the capital Phnom Penh. They are parents to two sons and one daughter and proud grandparents of three grandchildren. In her free time, she likes to watch Khmer dramas on TV. Oun has spent the majority of her life outside, which has exposed her to sunny, dusty, sandy, and windy conditions which has contributed to her condition. Seven years ago, Oun developed a pterygium in her right eye, which is a non-cancerous growth 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. This causes her irritation and burning. The condition has significantly impacted her vision. It is difficult for her to engage in social activities, read, watch television, or even recognize faces. When Oun learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for two and a half hours seeking treatment. Oun needs a surgical procedure to remove the abnormal conjunctiva from the cornea surface and replace it with a conjunctival graft to prevent recurrence. The total cost of her procedure is $225. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care for two days. The procedure is scheduled for March 8th. Oun said, "I hope after surgery my eye will not be red or irritated. I hope to have no worry and go back to planting rice."