A setback & a miracle!

Three weeks ago our field manager, Phirun, was in a very serious motorbike accident.

With 1,100 chickens to sell for the microfranchisees, Phirun was returning from a sales trip in heavy monsoon rain when he hit a pot-hole on the flooded road and came off his bike. 

He suffered a neck fracture and was completely paralysed from the neck down. As a small close knit team this was devastating news for us and we rallied to support Phirun and keep the programme going. 

After two nights in hospital in Cambodia, his family moved him to Vietnam by ambulance for better medical treatment where he stayed for a week. 

Since then, his healing has been miraculous.

From being completely paralysed, every day Phirun has made a little more progress toward recovery...

First he could sense touch on his legs, then he could move his feet a little. Next came some movement in his right hand, then his left, and then he was able to move his legs and arms a little. When they were able to move Phirun out of bed, initially he could not hold his own body up in a chair. With further improvement he could manage to hold his own body weight whilst sitting.

And then, late last Saturday night we received a short video showing Phirun taking his first steps. Yep he is now starting to walk! Click here to see the video. 

Throughout this ordeal Um Phor, Phirun’s father, has been a pillar of strength, firmly and resolutely declaring his son's healing "with God's grace".

The local user-pays healthcare system means Phirun's medical costs have totalled $2,800 to date, equivalent to a year's wages for a local NGO worker. 

To take this additional burden off Phirun’s family, who’ve sacrificed a great deal to work with us helping the ultra-poor, we've contributed $1,200 toward Phirun’s medical costs, and we'd be so grateful for any contributions you can make to help cover the balance of $1,600. 

It’s easy and will take less than 2 minutes – click here to help via our give-a-little page.

With more recovery time, we're looking forward to Phirun's eventual return as a very valued member of the team. 

Thank you!
Gerard & Hana