Sabitri is 51 and lives in a small hut in Milanpoly, a village in West Bengal, India. She has three sons, but all of them live with their own families. Living alone, Sabitri is completely dependent on her job as a house maid for money for food, shelter and other essentials.

One day Sabitri’s vision started to blur, and she found she had trouble keeping up with her everyday tasks at work.

“I was extremely afraid,” she said. “If I lost my sight, I was on my own. There is no one to take care of me, and if I couldn’t work to support myself, I don’t know what I would have done.”

Because Sabitri was already struggling financially, she didn’t seek treatment because she couldn’t afford it. Even if she could afford it, she didn’t know where to go for help.

Thankfully, a community health worker trained through your support came to Sabitri’s door and screened her eyes. She told Sabitri about Operation Eyesight and referred her to the Islampur Vision Center for diagnosis.

Thanks to YOUR support, the Islampur Vision Center was close enough for Sabitri to attend for an appointment.

At the vision center, Sabitri was told she was suffering from bilateral cataracts. She was referred to our partner, Siliguri Greater Lions Eye Hospital, where she received the surgeries she needed free of charge – all thanks to YOU!

Now Sabitri is happier than ever! She has her sight back and she can continue to work to support herself. Donors like you restored her hope for the future.

“After my surgery I can see clearly and I’m back to earning a living,” says Sabitri. “Thank you!”

Our generous donors have made it possible for thousands of women like Sabitri to regain their independence and get back to participating in their communities. Sadly, there are thousands more women like Sabitri who are still living with avoidable blindness. Your donation could restore sight and hope to more women like her. Give the gift of sight today!

The post You’re helping people like Sabitri appeared first on Operation Eyesight.

Jane is a 75-year-old widow and mother of four sons.  She lives in Murubara village in Kirinyaga, Kenya, supporting her children through bean and tomato farming.

One day, two community health volunteers (CHVs), Naomi and John, were conducting a door-to-door eye screening in the area. They came knocking on Jane’s door, and as luck would have it, their timing couldn’t have been better. They screened Jane’s eyes and learned she couldn’t see.

Although she had long noticed her failing eyesight, Jane hadn’t given it much importance. After all, she figured her fading eyesight was just a part of getting older.

Despite the CHVs’ advice and referral to seek medical attention at the eye clinic, Jane was reluctant. Sadly, three months later, she lost her sight entirely to cataracts in both her eyes.

She became dependent on her family for everything, and she could no longer see to read the lyrics to hymns at church. Jane was heartbroken.

“After my mother lost her sight, it was hard for us because we had to always make sure someone stayed at home to look after her and hold her hand to lead her wherever she wanted to go,” says Jane’s daughter-in-law, Faith.

Desperate for a solution, Jane’s family decided to consult Naomi, one of the community health volunteers who had screened her. Naomi encouraged them to take Jane to seek treatment at our partner, Kerugoya Eye Unit. Naomi assured Jane that it was possible for her to regain her sight through surgery.

Jane was still reluctant at first. She lives with high blood pressure and feared that, because of her age, she might not survive surgery. Naomi counselled her, explaining the nature of the surgery.

Jane finally chose to seek treatment and had surgery on her right eye in November 2018. It was just as Naomi had said – she could see again!

She was overjoyed, saying, “I can now walk on my own, and I can continue singing in my church choir!”

With her sight restored in her right eye, Jane was able to regain her independence and once again do her daily chores on her own. Shortly after, in December 2018, she received surgery on her left eye and, just like that, she had her sight restored in both eyes!

Her family is also grateful. Now they don’t have to worry about their mother.

“We are happy we can now go to work on the farm knowing that mum can take care of herself. It’s so liberating,” says Jane’s son, Daniel.

Jane is so grateful for the work Operation eyesight is doing in her village through our Hospital-Based Community Eye Health Project.

“Many villagers are happy about this project because it has literally opened their eyes,” Jane says. “Many had eye problems, but now they have been treated.”

Jane is now an eye health ambassador in her community, and the  community health volunteers seek her help when they need to encourage a fearful cataract patient to go for treatment.

You’ve made it possible for thousands of women like Jane to receive sight-restoring treatment, but there are still thousands more who need your help. Please make a donation today to and give more women the gift of sight!

The post A mother overcomes her fear of surgery and becomes an eye health champion appeared first on Operation Eyesight.