Srey Nich is a seven-year-old schoolgirl from Cambodia. She lives in Kandal Province with her mother and elderly grandmother. Her grandmother and mother earn a living by selling fish caught by her grandfather. She is the only child in her family, and her parents divorced when she was a baby. She is currently in Grade 2, enjoys mathematics, and hopes to become a teacher in the future. In her free time, she enjoys playing with her friends in the village. For the past two months, Srey Nich has been experiencing recurrent right ear pain, blocked hearing, ringing in the ear (tinnitus), persistent runny nose, and nasal congestion. Hearing tests showed moderate to severe conductive hearing loss in her right ear due to chronic fluid behind the eardrum (glue ear). The condition affects her ability to hear clearly, which may make communication and learning at school more difficult. Repeated ear pain and hearing problems can affect her comfort, concentration, and daily activities. Srey Nich was recently diagnosed with enlarged adenoids, which, if not treated, will cause her symptoms to persist and possibly intensify over time. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $345 to fund an adenoidectomy and grommet insertion for Srey Nich, which is scheduled to take place on July 16th. The procedure will relieve her of her symptoms and allow her to hear better, improving her quality of life. Srey Nich's grandmother said, “I hope this surgery will help my granddaughter hear clearly again and stop the ear pain that has bothered her for so long. I want her to be healthy, enjoy school, and grow up without these repeated ear problems.”

Nidhi is a 16-year-old girl from India. She lives in Mirzamurad, a village near Varanasi in northern India. She lives with her parents, two sisters, and a brother. Her father works as a halwai, preparing traditional Indian sweets to support the family. Nidhi is currently in the 9th grade and loves dancing. When she was just 2½ years old, Nidhi accidentally fell into a container of hot sugar syrup being used to make gulab jamuns, a sweet dessert. She sustained severe burns to her right chest and arm. Although she received wound care at the time, her family was unable to access reconstructive surgery. As Nidhi grew, the burn scars tightened and developed into contractures, affecting her right breast and elbow. These scars have restricted movement and altered her appearance during adolescence, a time when many young people become increasingly aware of their bodies and self-image. Nidhi's family learned about our medical partner, G.S. Memorial Plastic Surgery Hospital and Trauma Center, and sought treatment. On June 19th, specialty surgeons will perform a burn contracture release surgery to help release the tight burn scars on Nidhi’s right chest and elbow, improving both movement and comfort. The procedure is expected to increase the range of motion in her arm, making everyday activities such as dressing, writing, carrying schoolbooks, and participating in household tasks easier. The surgery will also address the contracture affecting her right breast, allowing for more normal development and reducing the physical discomfort and asymmetry caused by the scar tissue. By reducing the limitations caused by her burn scars, the surgery will allow Nidhi to participate more freely in school, social activities, and her favourite hobby, dancing. Now, she needs help to fund this $1,442 procedure. Nidhi shared, "I hope this treatment will make everyday activities easier for me."

Mengleang is a four-year-old kindergarten student from Cambodia. She lives in Kandal Province with her parents. Her father is a farmer, and her mother works in a garment factory. She is the youngest of three children - her older brother works in a beverage factory, and her sister is in Grade 11. She enjoys learning Khmer reading and writing and loves playing dolls with her friends. She dreams of becoming a nurse in the future. For the past four months, Mengleang has been experiencing sore throat, loud snoring, difficulty breathing at night, and trouble swallowing food and drinking water. Mengleang was recently diagnosed with enlarged tonsils and adenoids, which, if not treated, will cause her symptoms to persist and possibly intensify over time. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $345 to fund a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy for Mengleang, which is scheduled to take place on May 21st. Surgeons will remove her tonsils and adenoids, hopefully relieving Mengleang of her symptoms and helping her live much more comfortably. Her mother said: “I am very worried to see my daughter struggling to breathe and sleep at night. I hope this treatment will help her breathe easily, sleep peacefully, and grow up healthy without pain or discomfort.”