From Nearly Four Years of Darkness to the Return of Light
For almost four years, Mama Ngiriyabandi Prisca, an 89-year-old widow from Makamba Province, Burundi, lived in complete darkness. Her world had slowly closed around her — not only because of her blindness, but also because of the loneliness that came with it. With no husband, living alone, and without the financial means to seek medical care, she had lost all hope of ever seeing again.
Her daughter, who had been doing her best to care for her, also felt helpless.
But everything changed the day they heard that a team of eye care specialists would be passing through their town to offer free eye screening and surgery. With a spark of hope, mother and daughter decided to come — “just to try,” as they put it.
When Mama Prisca arrived, she was welcomed, examined, and later scheduled for cataract surgery. Flash forward to the moment her bandages were removed. That’s when something extraordinary happened.
She blinked her eyes gently… then focused… then gasped.
For the first time in nearly four years, she could see. In that moment, her face lit up with a joy, before bursting into tears. Unlike other tears she’d cried, these were not due to sadness, but of overwhelming relief and gratitude.
She spoke softly, her voice trembling, explaining how difficult her life had been as a blind elderly woman: She hadn’t been able to recognize the faces of her own children. She had felt completely dependent, unable even to serve herself food. She had feared she would die without ever seeing light again.
But that day, hope returned. Her daughter, who had stood silently beside her throughout the procedure, also broke down in tears. It was not just a medical intervention — it was the restoration of dignity, independence, and the simple human joy of seeing the world again.
Mama Prisca kept repeating, “I never thought I would see again. I had no means, no hope… but today I can see. Thank you… thank you so much.”
For her family, it was a miracle. For her, it was a new beginning. And for the entire team, it was a powerful testimony of how access to care can transform a life.
