Yadesa is an 80-year-old man from Ethiopia. He is a retired merchant who spent his life working hard and building an independent life. Since the deeply sad loss of his beloved wife, he has found comfort and support by moving in with one of his two brothers. One year ago, Yadesa developed a cataract in his right eye, causing him blurry vision and burning sensation. A cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye, blurring vision. For a man who spent his whole life actively connecting with the world through buying and selling, this slow darkening of his sight is truly heartbreaking. It has made it incredibly hard for him to talk and spend time with his loved ones, enjoy the world around him, and hold onto the dignity and independence that have always defined who he is. Fortunately, Yadesa is scheduled to undergo cataract surgery with the help of our medical partner, Saglan Wajee General Hospital. Surgeons will remove and replace the blurred lens. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. Now, he needs help to raise $150 to fund this procedure. Yadesa shared, "I hope to regain the independence I so deeply miss, allowing me to navigate my home and enjoy the company of my brother with newfound ease and confidence."

Nay is just like any other active one-year-old with a loving family. Except Nay was born with a heart condition, patent ductus arteriosis (PDA), a persistent opening between two major blood vessels that should close right after birth. However, Nay's remains open, which can weaken his heart and cause other cardiological and respiratory complications. Nay is one of three children. Their father is a day laborer, and their mother is a homemaker. Their incomes are just enough for basic expenses and health care, but not enough to fund heart surgery. "We are worried when we know that Nay needs surgery because we could not afford for it," Nay's parents said. To fund his surgery on October 3rd, our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500. After treatment, Nay will live more comfortably and avoid potential complications. For his parents and sisters, it also means one less worry.

Sopheak is a 14-year-old boy from Cambodia. He is a 10th-grade-student who enjoys math and has dreams of becoming a teacher one day. His parents earn a living selling lunch, while his older brother works as a motorcycle mechanic. In Sopheak's free time, he likes listening to music and watching movies. His favorite foods are fried eggs and caramelized pork. Sopheak was born with a cleft lip and underwent cleft lip repair surgery in 2012. However, he still has a notch along the border of his upper lip. As he has grown older, he has become increasingly concerned about the appearance of his nose and experiences difficulty breathing. These concerns have affected how he feels about his appearance, and he hopes further treatment will help him feel more comfortable and confident as he grows up. After his initial surgery, he was advised to return when he was older for further correction. He followed this advice, travelling two hours back to our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), for another assessment. On October 26th, 2026, he is scheduled to undergo rhinoplasty using rib cartilage, alar reduction, and lip scar revision to improve the shape of his nose and address the remaining concerns with his lip. His family needs $360 in support to help him receive the treatment he needs. Sopheak's mother said, “I’m happy that my son has the chance to receive further treatment. He has been unhappy with the shape of his nose for a long time, and sometimes he also has difficulty breathing. I hope this surgery will help him breathe more comfortably and feel more confident about himself as he grows up.”