Were it not for Orbis supporters like you, her children may have been forced to drop out of school to care for her.
Meet Gamere – after 10 years finally pain free
Gamere is a 54-year-old woman from Ethiopia whose eyes were watery and painful. As the pain increased, it became harder to care for her five children. To the point that Gamere was not able to leave the house alone anymore and was dependent on her childrens assistance.
Women are disproportionately affected by trachoma because of their close relationships with and proximity to children, who have high rates of the highly contagious infection that is linked to poor hygiene. In Ethiopia, women and girls are often the primary caregivers.
Years ago, Gamere went to the closest clinic and received an eye ointment. However, it did not help at all. In November 2022, at the Doko Masho health center in Chencha (Ethiopia) Gamere was diagnosed with trachomatous trichiasis in her left eye, a painful form of trachoma that would have resulted in blindness had she not received urgent treatment.
Orbis-trained Integrated Eye Care Workers Melaku and Negatu performed surgery on Gamere. With her vision back, Gamere is so grateful to be able to care for her children and keep them in school.
TT Surgery at Doko Masho health center in Chencha (Ethiopia).
Did you know?
Trachoma is the world’s leading infectious cause of blindness. It disproportionately affects women and girls, especially in sub-Saharan African countries like Ethiopia.
A big thank you to all involved in our work to eliminate trachoma in Ethiopia – from the health workers like Melaku and Negatu, to the patients like Gamere and their families. It takes really does “take a village” to ensure health sight for all.
Make a donation today and help save sight in Ethiopia.
