Christmas: Giving back the
gift of sight in Ethiopia
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| Ethiopia's Daughters of Charity regularly conduct eye screening missions in low-income communities |
A religious congregation in Ethiopia, the Daughters of
Charity, have been going around to different parts of the country screening
members of low-income communities who have lost their sight due to cataracts.
The result? Over 20 000 people have had their sight restored.
Makeda Yohannes – Addis Ababa
The Daughters of Charity have given a new lease of life to
some Ethiopians who had become ‘legally blind’ because of cataracts.
Children freed from the role of being caregivers can attend
school
It all started more than ten years ago when, according to
Sr. Evelyn Puesta, the project began in Dembidolo to free children from the
burden of caring for their parents or grandparents who had lost their sight.
Sr. Puesta explains that when there is an elderly blind person in the family it
becomes the responsibility of the child to guide him or her around and this
prevents the child from going to school, playing or enjoying life as a child.
The project started in 2006 with the view to give back sight to 20 000 people
by the year 2020. That target was surpassed in 2018.
Project implemented in collaboration with government
Sr. Puesta explains that the Sisters implement the project
in collaboration with government health centres and screen about 300 patients a
day. Those with the problem of cataracts are offered free surgery to restore
their sight while those who have other problems are given treatment and
appropriate eye care.
“We discuss with the local health authorities explaining to
them the services we would like to offer to poor communities with eye problems.
The health centres announce to the locals that there will be screening taking
place so that as many people as possible can access the services that we
provide. They also allow us to use (government) health centres for screening
purposes. During these screenings, we meet many people who have lived for years
with eye problems that could easily be treated but can become acute if
untreated. Those with cataracts are referred for free eye surgery,” said Sr. Puesta.
Once treated of cataracts, the afflicted go back to
productive lives
In addition to giving back sight to the ‘blind’, the
Daughters of Charity essentially empower communities economically as they are
then able to re-join the workforce once in their communities. This project also
focuses on prevention of blindness as much as giving back sight.
So far, the Sisters have reached beneficiaries with the gift
of sight in West Wollega, Benshangul Gumuz, Illibabur, Bonga, Holeta, Sululta,
Gefersa guji and various districts of greater Addis Ababa such as Ferensai
Legasion, Gulele, Bella, Legatafo, Kaliti, Lazarist, Asko and Keraniyo.
As part of the Catholic Church’s Ministry of healing, the
service is offered to anyone who needs it without any discrimination whatsoever.
The project is implemented with the financial support of the
Tropical Health Alliance Foundation (THAF).
Daughters of Charity in Ethiopia
Saints Vincent de Paul and Louise de Marillac founded the
Daughters of Charity in Paris in the 17th Century. There are now more than
sixty Ethiopian Daughters of Charity with ten others who are not Ethiopian. The
Congregation’s apostolate falls under three main categories of health,
education and social work. The Sisters run primary health care clinics, outreach
stations, and have a specialised eye clinic
What are cataracts?
A cataract is a cloudy area in the lens of one’s eye. As
people grow older, Cataracts can occur. Most cataracts are age-related but not
always. One can get cataracts for several other reasons.
The good news is that surgery usually gets rid of cataracts.
If left untreated, cataracts can cause continual loss of vision, eventually
leading to legal blindness or even total blindness.
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