Thavoreak is a five-year-old Grade 1 student from Cambodia. His parents raise pigs to support the family. He enjoys reading and writing Khmer at school and playing with toy cars at home. His favorite food is sour fish soup. Thavoreak was born with polydactyly of his left hand. This means that he has an extra thumb on his left hand. The extra thumb cannot bend, straighten, or move sideways and has no function. Its appearance makes him feel shy around other children and may affect his confidence as he grows and interacts with others. Fortunately, on October 16th, surgeons will perform a polydactyly repair procedure to remove the extra digit. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $379 to fund this procedure. The surgery will improve mobility, and he will feel more comfortable and confident when playing, learning, and spending time with other children. Thavoreak's parents said, “We want our son to grow up feeling comfortable and confident about himself. He sometimes feels shy because of the extra thumb on his hand, and we hope the surgery will help him feel less self-conscious and use his hand more comfortably as he grows.”

Jenfa is a farmer from Ethiopia. He is 77 years old and lives with his wife and 10 children. For over a year, he has struggled with an enlarged prostate (BPH). Since getting a catheter four months ago, he has faced painful complications. As an active farmer used to working independently, the catheter has made everyday life very hard. It slows down his movement, stops him from doing his daily chores, and keeps him from seeing his friends and community. Losing his freedom has made him very unhappy. Simple, everyday tasks have become exhausting for him and his family. They are doing their best to help him through this hard time. Our medical partner, Saglan Wajee General Hospital, is requesting $900 to fund surgery that will help improve his quality of life. The treatment is scheduled to take place on August 11th; he and his family need your help. Jenfa shared, "I hope to regain my strength and independence so I can enjoy a peaceful and active retirement."

Rin is 58 years old and a rice farmer from Cambodia. He and his wife have three sons and a daughter. During his free time, he likes to watch boxing. About one year ago, Rin developed a cataract in his left eye, causing him 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 Rin learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled three hours to seek treatment. On September 7th, 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 $263 procedure. Rin said, "I hope after surgery my eye can see better so I can go back to growing rice and corn. I don’t worry about my eye anymore."