URGENT NEED FOR SIMPLE SURGERY TO SAVE CHILDREN’S PRECIOUS SIGHT

New Zealand charity co-funds eye clinic to give hope to young children

By the time Obed approached school age, the cataracts in his eyes had became so dense, he could no longer see. He had to be led by the hand. He could not catch a ball. He was teased, mocked and rejected by other children. His future was lonely and bleak.

If Obed lived in New Zealand he would automatically receive a simple operation to remove the cataracts, however whether children like Obed are able to have surgery in Rwanda relies on people here in New Zealand.

For Obed and his family, the Kabgayi Eye Clinic provided a sanctuary of kindness and care that would not be viable without the generosity of Christian Blind Mission (cbm) supporters. His family is overwhelmed and eternally grateful their child received high-quality sight-saving surgery.

“The Kabgayi Eye Clinic in Rwanda is still operating, under strict COVID-19 protocols, helping to address the double disadvantage of poverty and disability,” Murray Sheard, CEO of cbm New Zealand, explains.

“In Obed’s case, his surgery was urgent. The surgeon knew that Obed’s young brain would quickly forget how to see.”

In the poorest parts of Rwanda, child blindness can be a matter of life and death, due to challenging physical environments including open fire pits, accidents in the surrounding bush and living in the mountains.

Being blind made Obed very f rightened because his family live on a steep mountainside, with just a narrow, slippery goat path.

With Obed under general anaesthetic, Dr Piet Noë f rom Belgium, worked skillfully on his right eye first – removing the cloudy, blinding cataract, and sliding a clear new lens into Obed’s eye.

The next day when Obed’s eye patch was removed in the crowded hospital ward, Obed recognised his father Donatien. He ran into his welcome embrace, overjoyed to see his father’s face again.

A week later, Obed returned for surgery on his second eye. Just two sessions of 45 minutes – but what a huge impact this has made on his life.

“Obed’s world is so much more colourful now – and so much less f rightening and less dangerous,” Murray says.

His future is bright again, with all life’s possibilities for learning, playing, making f riends and staying safe. What a wonderful gift you can give, every time a child’s sight is saved.

Now Obed runs happily through places he was afraid to tentatively step before, when he was blind and his future was bleak.

“It makes me most happy, to see Obed playing with the other children and hear him laugh,” says Obed’s smiling and grateful father Donatien. his awaits ly anxious . Obed surgery t catarac sight-saving

Obed can now see feeds and himself happily using a spoon.

“This is the first time ever Obed has used a spoon,” exclaims his overjoyed mother Marie. “He can put the food into his mouth without feeling his way. Now he can see it.”

It is absolutely vital that the Kabgayi Eye Clinic keeps operating on children to give them the miracle of sight and help save their lives. Kind surgeons like Dr Piet put their careers on hold to spend a few years in clinics like Kabgayi.

Part of cbm’s financial support ensures the Kabgayi Eye Clinic also continues the ongoing training of its ophthalmologists and nursing staff.