Ork is a 60-year-old retired construction worker. He is widowed with five children and one grandchild. Ork's four daughters are married and have moved out to surrounding villages. He currently lives with his son, daughter-in-law, and newborn grandchild. His son, a construction worker, shoulders the responsibility of providing for his family. Ork's daughter-in-law works in a nearby garment factory but is taking several months of leave to care for their newborn. Ork enjoys watching TV, listening to monks pray on the radio, and looking after his grandchild. Around ten years ago, Ork developed a cataract in his right eye, causing him to tear often and have 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, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so is not able to go places on his own. When Ork learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for one and a half hours seeking treatment. On March 11th, doctors will perform a small incision 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 $253 procedure. Ork said, “I hope after surgery I will be able to go to the pagoda by myself. I want to be able to do things on my own and help to take care of my family."

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."

Diana and her husband Isaya just had beautiful newborn twins! Their family lives in the Arusha region of Tanzania. Diana works in the home, managing the household and caring for their children, while Isaya works diligently on their farm to provide food. In addition to farming, Isaya seeks daily work to supplement their income. Since the babies have been born the family has been working hard to try to provide them with everything they need. Diana's newborn babies were born with clubfoot. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This will cause difficulty walking and even wearing shoes throughout his life. Fortunately, their family traveled to visit our medical partner's care center, Kafika House. There, the team will begin clubfoot treatment on February 20th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $935 to fund their baby's clubfoot repair surgery. After treatment, his feet will grow straight to be able to walk easily and wear shoes. Diana Says, “I hope both my children will grow up with no disability.”