Kean is a 65-year-old rice farmer from Cambodia. He has five sons, three daughters, and ten grandchildren. He goes to the rice field sometimes, usually drives his motorbike to take his grandchildren to school, and enjoys listen to the news on the radio. Five years ago, Kean developed a pterygium in his right eye, causing him blurry vision, difficult to recognize things clearly, and now he cannot drive his motorbike. Pterygiums are non-cancerous growths of the conjunctiva, a mucous layer that lubricates the eye. The growths occur when the conjunctiva is exposed to excessive sun damage and the cells grow abnormally over the pupil. He has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, working, and going anywhere outside. When Kean learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled to the hospital seeking treatment. Kean 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 his procedure is $216. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care for two days. The procedure is scheduled for April 21st. "I hope that after surgery, I can drive my motorbike to take my grandchildren to school again, and go outside myself," Kean said.

Kemari is a small-scale farmer from Uganda that primarily cultivates food-crops. She is married with nine children; four of them are married and self-employed as small-scale farmers, another is a primary school teacher, two perform manual labor, and the rest are in primary and secondary school and university. Her husband is a construction worker but is currently unable to work due to the COVID-19 lockdown. Three years ago, Kemari began to experience troubling symptoms, including difficulty speaking, singing, and swallowing. She was diagnosed with a goitre, an abnormal enlargement of the thyroid gland. She needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Kemari receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on June 16 at our medical partner's care center. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $264, and she and her family need help raising money. Kemari shares, “I will be grateful when am relieved of this condition that has affected my health for so long and after surgery I will continue farming.”

Sophal is a 63-year-old sugar cane seller from Cambodia. She has two children, five grandchildren, and enjoys listening to the monks pray on the radio. One year ago, Sophal developed a cataract in her left eye, causing her blurry vision. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, and going anywhere outside. When Sophal learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for one hour seeking treatment. On December 23rd, doctors will perform a phacoemulsification cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in her left eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $211 procedure. "I hope that I will be able to see clearly and can return to my work selling sugar cane," she shared.