Restoring Sight: Mosho’s Journey to Vision

In the rural heartlands of Ethiopia, access to basic eye care is limited—but the need is profound. Orbis is working tirelessly to change that, with a mission to improve eye care for more than 4.6 million people across the country’s southern regions.

Last year we met Mosho, an 85-year-old mother and grandmother living in the village in the Arba Minch Region. Mosho had lost vision in her right eye due to cataracts and had lived that way for four long years. The impact on her daily life was immense.

Mosho lives with her daughter and three of her 18 grandchildren, but with her limited vision, even daily tasks had become impossible. Farming on the family farm, cooking, or helping around the home was no longer within her reach. Her independence had slowly slipped away.

Mosho remained hopeful. When she heard that Orbis was coming to her region with a cataract surgery campaign, she didn’t hesitate. She walked for three hours to reach the clinic. That same day, she was examined and received surgery to restore her vision.

The following morning, Mosho returned to the clinic - walking again for three hours. Her bandages were removed—and there was no need for words. Her smile, her tears of joy, and the emotion on her face said it all.

With her sight restored, Mosho's life is transformed. While her family will always be by her side, she can now move independently, safely navigate her home, and once again feel like a contributing part of her household. More than just vision, this surgery gave Mosho dignity, freedom, and a renewed sense of purpose.