Therapy Services for 80 Cambodian Families

We, at CIF, want to thank you for supporting our ABLE program, helping keep children with chronic illness and disability in healthy and loving families. We are sharing the story of one of the children you’ve impacted.

Born with autism and epilepsy, Vuthy*’s health condition was fragile, requiring his mother to stay home to look after him and his two siblings, while not earning an income. His father had inconsistent, poorly paid jobs, adding a strain to the finances. Consequently, his family could not afford his medical treatment and care. Their living conditions were very poor and the family was at risk of separation. Vuthy was not thriving.

Local authorities alerted Children In Families (CIF) to Vuthy’s family struggles. Gathering the parents, commune leaders, and authorities, CIF did a thorough assessment. Vuthy’s parents expressed their commitment to improving his life and their family’s circumstances with the necessary support.

Vuthy’s mother said it gave her hope when the CIF case worker assessed their family needs and encouragingly told her, “I believe you both [mother and father] can make these changes.”

It started with regular visits from our case workers and ABLE program staff, who taught the parents therapeutic activities, feeding techniques, appropriate care, along with access to medical care. CIF also provided a stipend for food and basic living costs. This support released the crippling financial burden enough to give hope.

Caseworkers made incremental plans and goals for Vuthy’s health and his family’s condition. The parents attended classes to learn about children’s rights, caring for children with disabilities, positive parenting, hygiene, and more. They also grew more connected to other families in the area with similar struggles, as well as getting to know their local leaders better, realizing their leaders cared about the well-being of their family.

During the visit, our caseworkers brought both the mother and father into discussions about improving income and their living conditions. The parents created a list of activities to increase their income, and they were highly committed to improvements through home gardening, chicken raising, and fishing. In February 2024, we provided cash support to dig a well. Providing the family with clean water for washing, drinking, and gardening.

A recent change in government policy recognizes families supporting children with disabilities and with proper assessment, provides these families with free medical care as well as government financial assistance. Vuthy has been enrolled and his family awaits the processing of their case with the Cambodian government.

Because of all of the positive changes in Vuthy’s family, CIF created an exit plan for them from our program. This allows us to gradually taper off our visits and financial assistance as the family works toward independence.  

“My husband and I were hopeless regarding Vuthy’s condition. We felt incredible pity for him because we could not feed and care for him well. Our family was so poor. We could not afford his treatment and did not know how to do it. After CIF worked with us, things have absolutely changed in our family, especially for Vuthy. We become hopeful. We can send him to a specialized NGO and state hospitals for regular check-ups and treatment with transportation and food support from CIF. My husband and I are happy with the improvement of Vuthy’s health (no longer has seizures) and communication (better interaction with family members and others). I know how to feed him properly, and how to observe the signs, so I can send him to the health center on time to prevent illness. We feel comforted and cared for by CIF and the local authorities,” said Vuthy’s mother with a smile.