Mbugua’s story

NO ONE SHOULD LOSE THEIR SIGHT NEEDLESSLY. IF WE CAN HELP, THEN WE MUST.

Just like every loving parent, Mary had big dreams for her son, Mbugua. But when he was only 3 years old, permanent blindness became a real threat to Mbugua’s future.

At school, Mbugua would squint and hold objects close to his face. He started to fall behind in class and eventually could no longer attend school. Mary had to take him to work with her, but on some days she had to leave him at home alone. Mbugua would cry, making Mary cry too.

When COVID came to their village, there was less work for Mary. Her stress and worry for her son escalated. How could she help her son?

Mary had little money left after she paid for food, and it wasn’t enough to take Mbugua to see a doctor. It broke Mary’s heart, knowing she couldn’t afford to help her son. Without surgery, Mbugua’s blindness from cataract could become permanent - and then it would be too late.

But then something wonderful happened. A Community Health Worker from The Fred Hollows Foundation knocked on Mary’s door. He had received his training, thanks to people like you and your generous support. He assured Mary that Mbugua’s cataract could be treated, and thanks to generous people from around the world, he could help arrange an eye test, surgery and even transport to the hospital. 

Please donate today so we can reach more people like Mbugua, who need urgent surgery to restore their sight before it’s too late.

MARY COULDN’T AFFORD TO HELP HER SON

Mary is a hardworking single parent, who works two jobs to take care of her son. She labours in the fields and washes laundry to put food on the table.

Her deepest desire is to give her child a bright future. All she wants is for Mbugua to go to school and get an education.

“My wish is that he gets to see, study hard in school, and be able to provide for himself,” Mary says.

WE URGENTLY NEED TO REACH MORE CHILDREN LIKE MBUGUA, BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE

The task of improving eye health care for the 55 million people who live in Kenya has never been easy. The poorest and most disadvantaged are the ones who need our help urgently, but are often the hardest to reach. COVID has made everything harder, causing major delays. People on long waiting lists need the kindness and compassion of someone like you, so that they don’t become permanently blind.

	ABOUT 15% OF KENYA’S POPULATION NEEDS URGENT EYE CARE More than 328,000 people in Kenya are blind, with another 750,000 being visually impaired – yet 9 out of 10 of these people don’t need to be.
	PEOPLE IN RURAL AREAS MISS OUT ON ESSENTIAL CARE Majority of Kenyans live in remote areas and can’t afford to travel outside their village. With your help, in the next 12 months, we can reach over 130,000 Kenyans and screen their eyes to detect conditions and offer treatments, including surgery and glasses.
	THE RISK OF CATARACT BLINDNESS IN CHILDREN IS HIGH If a child’s cataract is not treated in time, their brain can’t learn to recognise signals from the eye, and they can stay blind for life. With your support, we can arrange thousands of cataract surgeries within the next year.

YOU CAN LIFT SOMEONE OUT OF A LIFETIME OF BLINDNESS

Mbugua can see clearly now, and it’s all thanks to supporters like you. His mother, Mary, is beyond grateful.

When a health care worker trained by The Foundation knocked on their door, and told them that supporters of The Foundation would pay for Mbugua’s eye examination, surgery, and travel costs, Mary couldn’t believe it.

The eye health worker told Mary they had to act quickly because Mbugua was at real risk of permanent blindness, if they didn’t act fast.

Even though Mary was worried about Covid, she carefully fitted Mbugua’s mask, and took his small hand in hers to start their journey. She knew this was her best opportunity to give Mbugua a better future.

“I have no fear for the surgery, because what Mbugua is going through is much worse,” Mary says.

The surgical team, who operated on Mbugua knew that a little child’s future and his mother’s hopes were in their hands, and prepared for the surgery with great care. This is made possible because of generous donors like you.

The next day, the surgeon removed Mbugua's patch. Mbugua couldn't stop grinning. His mum lifted her eyes to the heavens in thanks.

“My son can now live a normal life, and a burden has been lifted off my shoulders!”

HELP US CARRY ON FRED’S VISION

Founder of The Fred Hollows Foundation, Prof. Fred Hollows once said “… having a care and concern for others is the highest of human qualities.”
 

You have shown us this quality time and again. With your support, The Foundation’s sight-restoring work has prevented tens of thousands of people from going blind and helped ease the pressure on Kenya’s eye health system.

But there is still work to be done. It is estimated that each year, about 14,500 new cases of cataract are discovered in Kenya. Your support today can improve the lives of thousands of people, securing their future and giving them something wonderful to look forward to - the gift of sight.

Even though Fred is no longer with us, we can still finish the job he started.

With your support, in Kenya over the next year, The Fred Hollows Foundation plans to:

• Train 5,370 people, including 3 eye surgeons and 5 clinical support staff
• Screen 132,500 people
• Support 15,415 cataract operations
• Perform 20,850 eye health treatments or interventions
• Distribute 5,150 pairs of glasses
• Build or upgrade 6 hospitals, eye units and other facilities

Your support for these actions can improve the lives and future opportunities of millions of people in Kenya

Thanks to you, we can still carry on Fred’s vision and end avoidable blindness.