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In Burundi, Africa, a girl named Cesaria was born blind due to a congenital condition. Typically, children with her condition do not live past the age of five. Abandoned by her parents, she was fortunate to be taken in by her grandmother. However, she couldn't afford the cost of surgery to restore her sight.
Many blind children in Burundi never reach their fifth birthday. For three-year-old Cesaria, time was running out.
Burundi is one of Africa’s smallest and poorest nations. After 12 years of civil war, Burundi’s people mostly live in disadvantaged, rural areas that have little access to medical and eye health services. With more than 87,000 people who are blind, and only three ophthalmologists who can perform cataract surgery, there’s a critical need to train, screen and perform surgeries there to help people out of the cycle of poverty.
Cesaria was one of these people we were able to help.
Blind from birth, Cesaria’s chances of surviving until her fifth birthday would have been slim. Unable to look after a blind child, Cesaria’s parents abandoned her soon after she was born. Thankfully, her grandmother Veronica stepped in to raise her instead. Veronica was the driving force in making sure Cesaria got the medical attention she needed.
Cesaria - Imagine seeing the world for the very first time...
Burundi’s only paediatric ophthalmologist, Dr. Levi, performed Cesaria’s much-needed operation. It was just in time – the older children are, the harder it is to save their sight. For Cesaria, restoring her sight at such a young age gives her the chance to develop and experience childhood just like any other little girl.
Donate Now!外地派遣醫護人員 VS 「自給自足」
「培養好一位眼科手術醫生，他將來就會培養數以百計的眼科人才。」 - 霍洛教授
護瞳行動認為從外地派遣醫護人員到偏遠地區，並非最佳的醫療發展模式。我們的工作模式﹐是在地訓練新一代的眼科醫療人員，期望服務地區能長遠在眼科醫療「自給自足」。投資培訓，能達致以下的效果和影響︰
Together, we can do this
We know how to help, but there’s a lot of work still to be done across the world. Eliminating avoidable blindness can be achieved – with the help of our partners and, most importantly, you, our incredible supporters.
The Fred Hollows Foundation's work will help build the local capacity of eye health in remote areas. Doctors, nurses and community eye care staff can identify, diagnose, refer and treat various eye diseases on time in the community.
The Fred Hollows Foundation believes that a fly-in-fly-out model is not the best way to develop a place’s eye health care. Our aim is to build a sustainable eye health workforce in remote areas to help people have their sight restored.
Thank you very much for your donation! Monthly donation receipts will be mailed to your mailing address every April. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.
