Gwen Espie is in the midst of raising funds for 17-year-old Navi so she may be able to receive cochlear implants and communicate better in her home town.

Despite being born with hearing, Navi was deaf by the age of three, making for a difficult life in her village near Kampong Thma.

Abandoned by her parents and considered an outcast as a result of her disability, her development was stunted in more ways than one.

“When I first saw her five years ago, I thought she was six, but she was actually 12,” said Mrs Espie.

"She looked really malnourished and didn’t know how to properly communicate.”

As part her annual volunteering trips to the country, Mrs Espie helps run a school for local children.

After six months of trying to convince the village elder to allow Navi to attend the school, she finally succeeded, and the effects were immediate.

“She was a flower that had never been watered, and in school, she blossomed,” Mrs Espie said.

Despite her progress, Navi was pulled out of the school and forced back into a slave-like existence, where she continued to be ostracised by her village. Mrs Espie said she feared the worst for the 17 year old if she continued down the path set out for.

“My greatest concern was they would see her as more valuable to be sold as a sex slave,” she said.

“I’ve tried to become her guardian myself, so that she may have better opportunities.”

During her latest trip to Cambodia in April, Mrs Espie was able to make a breakthrough; She convinced the village elder to let Navi have cochlear implants. 

It marked the beginning of a new battle for the Launceston resident, who started up a GoFundMe page to help her raise the $25,000 required for the implants. While she admitted there was a long road ahead, Mrs Espie was optimistic about the progress which had been made far.

“I’ve made some really amazing connections so far, as well as raising about $3000,” she said.

“I managed to speak with (Tasmanian of the Year) Rosie Martin, which was great.”

Anyone wishing to donate can click  here .