Grace is a 31-year-old mother of two. She completed high school, but her parents could not afford to send her to college. Despite big dreams, Grace shared that she was forced to stay at home and later got married. Grace and her husband practice small-scale farming, but sometimes he is able to find additional work to supplement theirincome. The couple is blessed with two children who are attending primary school. Grace and her family live in a twin room semi-permanent house near a trading center. During her free time, she enjoys reading. She is currently expecting her third child. She has visited an antenatal clinic two times and been receiving good care. Grace believes that this pregnancy will have a good outcome and is excited to welcome her new baby. When she visited Nyakibale Hospital, she was recommended to deliver via a c-section so that her doctors can ensure the safety of both mother and child. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Grace undergo a C-Section on November 10th. This procedure will cost $252, and Grace needs your support. Grace says, “I cannot afford the costs of the surgery and would request for your support. I look forward to continuing farming after the surgery to earn a living for my family.”

Sai is a six-year-old kindergarten student. He lives with his parents and siblings (a 12-year-old brother who is in grade four and a 11-month-old sister) at Mae Sot District, Tak Province in Thailand. His father is a daily worker and works as a blacksmith. Sai’s mother is a homemaker who looks after the children at home. Sai was born with a healthy delivery however just after his sixth birthday, his mother noticed that Sai’s left eye was red. He told her that it was not painful, so they did not worry about it. In June 2022 though, his mother saw that there was a white dot in the pupil of Sai’s eye. When his mother covered Sai’s right eye and asked if he could see, he answered that he did not see clearly. Sai had his eyes checked at Mae Tao Clinic and the medic suspected that he had a cataract. He was sent to Mae Sot Hospital (MSH) for further investigation. He was referred to the ophthalmology department which later the doctor diagnosed him with mature left eye cataract. Currently, Sai’s vision in his left eye is blurry and he has trouble seeing the board when he is in the classroom. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund lens replacement surgery for Sai. On December 9th, doctors will perform a lens replacement, during which they will remove Sai's natural lens and replace it with an intraocular lens implant. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. Now, he needs help to fund this $1,500 procedure. Sai’s mother said, “We cannot afford to take a loan (for the surgery) because we would have to pay the interest. There is less work during the pandemic and so it makes things very hard to have such a large loan. My words cannot express the thanks that I feel. It is so lucky for us to have the assistance from BCMF and donors.”

Savoeun is a loving 68-year-old grandmother who lives in Kandal province. She is a widow; sadly her husband passed away many years back during the Khmer Rouge regime. She has two sons, four daughters, and seven grandchildren who keep her busy. Currently, she lives with her oldest daughter who is a vegetable seller. At home, she enjoys listening to the monks pray on the radio and joining ceremonies at the pagoda. Two years ago, Savoeun developed a cataract in her left eye, causing her light sensitivity, tearing, and blurry vision. She shared that it feels like she has a milky film in her eye all the time. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so is not able to go places on her own. When Savoeun learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for three and a half hours to seek treatment. On December 1st, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery and implant a new lens in her left eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $253 procedure. Savoeun says, "I am really hoping that I will see better and can help my daughter to sell vegetables in front of our house."