Hirphasa is a 68-year-old father of ten children from Ethiopia. Hirphasa lost his wife eight years ago, and has dedicated his life to raising his family of six boys and four girls. Throughout his decades working the land, he took great pride in being hardworking and completely self-sufficient. Hirphasa is presently facing a difficult chapter in his life, as cataracts slowly cloud his left eye, causing his vision to blur and making it very hard for him to see at night. This gradual loss of sight has taken away his independence, making him rely heavily on his children just to get around and handle daily tasks. Fortunately, on August 19th, Hirphasa is scheduled to undergo cataract surgery with the help of our medical partner, Saglan Wajee General Hospital, where surgeons will remove and replace the blurred lens. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. Now, Hirphasa needs help to raise $150 to fund this procedure. "I hope to take the heavy weight of caregiving off my family, regain my strength, and bring bright days and joy back to my home," said Hirphasa

Separa is a three-year-old girl from Ethiopia. She lives with her mother and her six-year-old brother. Her father left when she was one year old, and her mother has raised the two children alone ever since. Separa's health problems started when she was just six months old, when she began having trouble with her tonsils again and again. When she was one, she had surgery to help her. For about three months she was better, but then her symptoms came back, and this time they were worse. She snores loudly every night and breathes through her mouth, even during the day. At night, her breathing becomes blocked while she sleeps, and she suddenly wakes up gasping for air. Separa has enlarged tonsils, which, if not treated, will cause her symptoms to persist and possibly intensify over time. Our medical partner, Saglan Wajee General Hospital, is requesting $700 to fund a tonsillectomy for Separa, which is scheduled to take place on October 10th. Surgeons will remove her tonsils, hopefully relieving Separa of her symptoms and helping her live more comfortably. Separa shared, "I just want my daughter to breathe and sleep well. She has suffered since she was a baby. I pray this surgery ends it."

Paong is a 76-year-old retired rice farmer from Cambodia. She is a widow and has three daughters and three grandchildren. Now, she lives with her second daughter, who plants potatoes. She likes to watch the news on TV and listen to monks pray on the radio. About five months ago, Paong developed a cataract in her right 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 Paong learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On October 28th, doctors will perform a small-incision cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in her right eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $263 procedure. Paong said, "I hope after surgery, my eye can see better. I want to be able to walk around, recognize my relatives, and go to the pagoda."