Restoring mobility and dignity: Yim’s story
In Cambodia, decades after conflict ended, many people continue to live with life-changing injuries caused by war. For survivors like Yim, mobility is closely tied to independence, income, and dignity.
After losing his leg during the conflict in 1975, Yim spent decades adapting to limited and often painful prosthetics. When his most recent prosthetic broke, even basic movement became difficult, further restricting his daily life.
Yim received a new prosthetic limb provided by Humanity & Inclusion (HI), with APOPO supporting transport to and from the rehabilitation center and clinic as well as the cost of accommodation. This support helps him move more comfortably and manage daily activities.
“Now I can walk more comfortably”
“My name is Yim. I am 79 years old and I come from Jongan District, in Preah Vihear province. I still live there with my wife. We have four children, three sons and one daughter. The oldest is 50 and the youngest is 24.
Two of my children are already married and live on their own. They do labor work like construction to support their families. The other two are not married yet, so they still stay with us. They also work as laborers. They help on the cassava farms and transport the harvest from the field to the trucks. They give some money to me and my wife to support our daily living.
I do not own farming land. I stay at home with my wife and we grow vegetables in a small garden around the house. We keep some vegetables for ourselves and sometimes we sell a little for a small income. My wife does not have a stable job. She is a housewife, but during harvest season she joins the labor work to earn something extra.
I used to be in the army. The accident that caused the loss of my leg happened in 1975, during the war with the Khmer Rouge. A rocket hit me. It happened during the daytime in Kampong Cham province. Soldiers who were nearby carried me to a small hospital about ten kilometers away. It was not a normal hospital, but a simple camp inside the forest with very limited equipment.
I stayed there for more than twenty days, almost one month. When I arrived, they performed the surgery and cut my leg there in the forest hospital. After I recovered, they transferred me to a center in Prey Veng province for people who had lost their legs. I stayed there for more than one year and they taught us how to walk with a stick.
At that time, the prosthetic leg was very basic. It was made from metal taken from American flares dropped from airplanes. The soldiers collected the metal casing and used it to make a simple artificial leg. Before attaching it, they added fabric padding to soften the contact point with the skin. But it was not a real prosthetic, and I still needed a stick. It was painful and I could not walk for long.
My first proper prosthetic came in 1989, from a project supported by Japanese organizations. They gave me a real prosthetic leg and walking sticks. It helped me a lot. Before that, I had only the metal leg, so walking was very difficult. With the new prosthetic I could work more again, even carrying up to 20 kilos.
When my previous prosthetic broke, it was very hard to move. I could not walk easily and everything became more difficult.
I am very thankful to APOPO for bringing me here for a new prosthetic. It helps me so much. Now with this new one, I can walk more comfortably. I want to say thank you to everyone, to APOPO and to the community who supports this work.”