Kenzie's Song

15-year-old Kenzie Abdula Alishu is one of six siblings living on a farm outside of Grawa, 76 kilometers from Harar, Ethiopia.

Kenzie worked helping on her parents farm and was in the 6th grade at school when her eyesight began to fail in both eyes. The decline in her vision caused her to struggle to complete 7th grade. Kenzie's eyesight became so strained, that she had to stop her schooling and could no longer be of much help at home or in the fields. She eventually lost her vision and for the past 6 months has been living in darkness. She said that she began to just sit in the house all day. When her father heard of the eye screenings in Harar, he mad the journey with her.

It was determined that Kenzie would undergo surgery in both eyes. HCP board member Dr. Matt Oliva performed the surgeries.

When the bandages were peeled away, she could immediately see. When she realized she could see and count fingers from more than 30 feet away, Kenzie broke out in song.

Dr. Matt Oliva captured her celebration with his phone.