Therapy Services for 80 Cambodian Families

When eight-year-old Visot was referred to CIF, his family was facing overwhelming challenges. He was experiencing frequent seizures, unable to feed himself, rarely engaged with others, and often became irritable. Although he had been diagnosed with epilepsy as a young child, his family could not afford ongoing hospital visits or treatment, and they felt powerless to help him.

At the same time, the family was struggling financially. Caring for Visot required so much of their time that they were unable to earn enough income to meet their basic needs.

When CIF stepped in, our team began by assessing both Visot’s health and his home environment. It soon became clear that, in addition to epilepsy, he was also on the autism spectrum. Our ABLE staff met with his family to understand their priorities, and the parents shared that what they wanted most was for Visot to be able to eat independently and to have better control over his seizures.

CIF supported the family in accessing medical care, enabling Visot to begin taking anti-seizure medication regularly. At the same time, ABLE staff coached his family on how to help him work toward eating on his own and developing other self-help skills.

With consistent follow-up and regular medication, Visot’s seizures stopped. He reached the goal of feeding himself, and his family learned new strategies to help him connect more with those around him.

But CIF’s support goes beyond a child’s individual needs. We take a holistic approach, recognizing that a child’s well-being depends on having a stable and resilient family. Our team worked with Visot’s parents to identify their strengths and explore ways to improve their livelihood. By growing vegetables and raising chickens, they began producing food for their household while also earning extra income from selling what they did not need.

It has now been three years since Visot’s family began receiving support from CIF. During that time, they have grown in confidence and resilience. Our hope for Visot’s family—and for every family in the ABLE program—is that they feel equipped to support their children in reaching their full potential, and that they know their future holds reason for hope. It takes time, but watching hope take root is deeply rewarding.

Since this project began receiving support through the GlobalGiving platform, 95 children and their families have benefitted from CIF’s ABLE services. Currently, 38 children are enrolled. Thanks to your generosity, we are able to continue supporting family-based care that is inclusive of children with disabilities and chronic health conditions.

Thank you for the vital role you play in making this possible!

Links:

• Watch this video on YouTube to see Visot's story.