Dara is a healthy, happy boy who enjoys eating sour soup and fried pork and enthusiastically declares his love for eggs. He loves playing with Transformers toys and going on family trips to Angkor Wat to explore the temples and the forests. With his positive attitude and joyful spirit, his parents see a bright future ahead for him.

But Dara’s life hasn’t always been this way – it began with uncertainty. His birth parents abandoned him, and he was adopted at four months old by Sophor and her husband. Sophor works as a caregiver for Vitamin Angels’ partner, the Cambodia Children’s Fund (CCF), and his father drives a taxi to support their family of five.

When Dara first came to live with Sophor and the family, she saw signs of his poor health. He had a distended belly, skinny legs, and pale skin – visible signs of malnutrition and childhood infections. Although progress has been made to improve nutrition in Cambodia, 22% of children under five in the country are stunted, or chronically malnourished, a condition often linked to infections, poor diets, and intestinal parasites that rob the body of essential nutrients.

With support from Vitamin Angels, The Worm Project, and CCF, Dara received vitamin A supplementation along with albendazole, a safe and effective deworming treatment. Vitamin A helps strengthen a child’s immune system, protects their vision, and supports healthy growth and development. Combined with deworming treatment, which fights parasites that can prevent nutrients from being absorbed, these simple interventions work together to help young children get the nutrition they need to grow strong. 

“You can see the kids that are living with poor sanitation. Hygiene in their living situations – it isn’t good. Deworming is important for the kids who can get parasites from food or other ways,” explained Dr. Keo Sopheara, CCF’s Healthcare Project Manager. “The vitamin A and deworming that we have got from Vitamin Angels is very helpful to the kids. We have been providing them twice a year.” 

Soon after receiving vitamin A supplementation and deworming treatment, Sophor noticed a remarkable change in Dara: his appetite improved, his energy returned, and he began to grow and thrive. 

In Khmer, Dara’s name means “star” – a fitting symbol of Sophor’s belief in his potential to shine brightly in the world. Today, he shines as a testament to the love, care, and life-saving power of simple, proven health interventions.