For most of her life, Napolo from Narok County, Kenya suffered from eye pain. The 78-year-old first noticed the discomfort when she was in her thirties. She said it felt like there was always sand in her eyes. Then her eyelids started turning inwards, causing more pain and irritation. She tried traditional remedies like plucking… Continue reading Preventing eye disease through community outreach
Category: Community Health Worker
Putting community at the heart of our work
Twelve-year-old Premi, in Rajasthan, India, loves reading and going to school, but in recent years, her enthusiasm for learning came under threat when her eyesight started to fade, making it difficult for her to read the blackboard and keep up with her studies. Premi is one of three children. Her parents and older brother work… Continue reading Putting community at the heart of our work
Community health worker breaks down barriers with empathy before eye charts
In the hills of Meghalaya’s Ri-Bhoi District, Robiroy, a young community health worker from Nongpoh Vision Centre, was assigned to serve 47 villages with a population of more than 16,000. Initially, he encountered skepticism from the community, as people feared medical interventions or had misconceptions. For many, fading vision was simply part of growing old.… Continue reading Community health worker breaks down barriers with empathy before eye charts
Gift of Sight: Cataract surgery spares Benjamin from a life of avoidable blindness
Every day, 10-year-old Benjamin in Kenya proudly leads his family’s goats out to graze, a chore that once seemed unthinkable, because from a young age, Benjamin was blind. Benjamin lives with his parents and six siblings in the village of Olookitareti in Kajiado County. The family struggles financially; Benjamin’s father Joshua has a chronic illness,… Continue reading Gift of Sight: Cataract surgery spares Benjamin from a life of avoidable blindness
