Kung Lai is 55 years old and lives in the village of L’berk.  Her husband is a farmer, though they only have a very small amount of land so cannot even grow enough rice for their own personal consumption. 

They have three children, 2 adult boys and 1 girl, who is still at high school.  The sons usually work in Siem Reap as labourers on construction sites and the income from this work helps the family to get by.  But, unfortunately, they are finding it very difficult to get any work due to the slowdown in construction caused by the global economic crisis.  This has meant extreme financial hardship for the family resulting in them not having enough to eat. 

We’ve been told that Kung Lai would often pass out and fall down.  One day recently she passed out and did not recover – she was unconscious for hours.  Her family didn’t know what to do as they had absolutely no money.  The simply thought she was going to die, they thought they could do nothing and, according to Thea, our medical coordinator, they just cried and cried.

Fortunately, the village leader heard about the situation and called Thea.  Thea promptly organised for an ambulance from the Polyclinic to go to L’berk Village to get Kung Lai.  She was taken to the Polyclinic where they treated her for hypoglycaemic coma (resulting from a lack of food).   

After a number of days at the Polyclinic Kung Lai is now feeling much better and is back home in the village.  Of course the family’s situation hasn’t changed though, so unless we look at her situation holistically she will only become unwell again.  Thea is talking with the family about how we can help them.  The initial idea is to help them set up a home vegetable garden by providing them with seeds and tools.  If necessary, we will also provide them with emergency food aid.