by Robert Bernstein

Created on: March 30, 2009

Two years ago, a 14 year old girl from Cambodia showed up on my office doorstep. She lived in an orphanage in Phnom Penh, and had severe congenital scoliosis. Her parents were grass farmers. She could not carry grass on her back like her siblings because of pain, and therefore could not generate income. Because of this, the family dropped her off to live with an "aunt" in the Stung Meanchey trash dump in Phnom

Penh. Here she lived for a number of years, collecting recyclable materials to sell so she could eat. Around 9 years of age, she was picked up by the Cambodian Children's
Fund (CCF), an orphanage that takes in children from the trash dump and gives them an education.

After a number of years in the orphanage, it was clear that her curvature was worsening and she would require surgery. Her sponsor brought her to the U.S.
for treatment and found a benefactor to pay for her care. We operated on her and she did wonderfully. She moved in with our family for the summer, sharing a room with our oldest child who was 1 year older. Once she moved back to Cambodia, my wife suggested that we take the family to visit her.

6 months later, we visited the CCF and with our four children (ages 7-15), touring the orphanage and trash dump. I made arrangements to perform surgery at a local charity hospital, the Children's Surgical Centre (CSC).

Upon our return, my wife and I decided to start our own non-governmental organization (NGO). Our goal was to teach sustainable pediatric orthopaedic surgery to surgeons in the developing world. We developed a program (called Mobile Pediatric Orthopaedic Education or "MoPOEd") with a carefully constructed business plan. We would teach existing surgeons in the developing world by bringing experts to teach at 2-4 week intervals over a year. They would utilize locally available implants and equipment, develop a customized curriculum, and teach on-site.

We searched the internet for information on NGO's, foundations and funding. Ultimately, we decided to partner with an existing 501(c)3 organization instead of forming our own. This would allow MoPOEd to have the non-profit status but allow the "parent" non-profit be responsible for accounting and other legal requirements.

We obtained funding by applying for a grant from a foundation. We were turned down by a few before we obtained funding. An on-line search of foundations that provide funding for non-profits for international healthcare
assisted us in identifying those who provide grants. The Foundation

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