Lives Changed in Ethiopia
Recently, HCP partnered with the Bisidimo Hospital to perform a weeklong cataract outreach, providing 472 sight restoring surgeries. Below are some of the stories from patients, whose lives have been changed through the work of HCP and its partners.
Mariam & Ubah
Ubah and her mother Mariam are from the Harerge region of Ethiopia. Ubah had lost her sight gradually after the birth of her first child. Mariam had also lost her vision to cataracts. Life had been difficult for the women, and Mariam blamed herself for her daughter's vision loss.
Neighbors took the mother and daughter to a local health clinic where they learned of an HCP outreach at Bisidimo that could restore their sight.
Following their successful surgeries, both women were excited to return home to work on their farm and take care of their families. A 10-minute surgery can return dignity and self-sufficiency to people in need.
Iftu Ahemmed
Iftu Ahemmed suffered from cataracts in both eyes for six months. Three of those months were spent in complete darkness. She will never forget the day she was told that her condition is curable.
“Now, I have my vision back thanks to HCP. It is like being born again, and I am super excited to go back to school.“
Alamudin Abdi Amme
"I can’t wait to go back to school and the village to play whatever I want without any worry." - Alamudin, a 10-year-old cataract patient
Three years ago, Alamudin Abdi Amme lost sight in his left eye after an injury from a stick. His family couldn't afford treatment, so Alamudin dropped out of school because he could no longer read or play with the other children. Thanks to the skilled surgeons and support staff at a recent outreach in Bisidimo, Ethiopia, Alamudin regained sight in his left eye.
