52-year-old Tanzanian Zainabu lives in the village of Mletele in the Ruvuma region (in the southeast of Tanzania). She has been blind for seven years.
She tells us that it happened gradually. “In the beginning, I didn’t mind all that much because I could still sell my vegetables and do the household chores. But it got progressively worse. I don’t know what is happening to me, it has got that bad that I can no longer take care of the household, move and walk on my own or count my money. I have lost the joy of living and spend my days in the dark!”
Zainabu is very emotional when she tells her story. She does not know why she is blind and puts her confidence in a traditional village healer, to no avail. She is and stays blind, can no longer do anything on her own and has to relay on the support of her husband and family.
We need your support to allow people like Zainabu to recover their eyesight!
“And then, one day, I meet someone who used to have eye problems. She tells me she recovered her eyesight after treatment at St Joseph’s hospital in Songea.” Light for the World has been supporting this hospital since 2018, the aim being to further develop the eye care unit which should be able to treat most eye diseases.
“After hearing that person’s story, I decided to go to St Joseph’s,” tells Zainabu. “There, an ophthalmologist tells me that I suffer from bilateral cataract and that I could recover my eyesight through surgery. I don’t hesitate for a moment.”
An appointment is made for the surgery and Zainabu shows no fear whatsoever. Everything goes according to plan and the next day, once the eye dressings have been removed, Zainabu can hardly contain her joy and enthusiasm. Her face beams with happiness.
“All the obstacles I had to face when I was blind now belong to the past. I am confident about what the future holds for me, I will get my life back.” Zainabu promises to be an ambassador with her community and will encourage people with eye problems to go to the hospital for treatment.
Together, let’s offer a cataract surgery to adults like Zainabu. Donate.
