By Leslie Mulvey | Orbis Intern
Trachoma is an eye disease which causes painful and often irreversible sight loss. It affects mostly women and those living in poor rural communities. Currently, there are more than 1.2 blind people in Ethiopia and 12% is caused by trachoma.
Workenesh is a farmer in Ethiopia who has been trying to support her eight children alone since her husband died in 2005. Everyday has been a financial struggle for Workenesh.
A couple of years ago, three of Workenesh’s daughters were married and left the village. The rest of her children are attending primary school. They also help their mother on the farm when they are not at school.
A year ago, Workenesh started to feel a pricking pain in both of her eyes. Over time, the pain worsened and soon she was unable to carry out day to day activities.
Her children were forced to drop out of school and work on the farm.
After a year of suffering, Workenesh visited a nearby health post. She met Sarah, one of the districts Health Extension Workers, who examined her eyes. Sarah referred her to Dehmale Health Centre where she could receive the help she needed.
Accompanied by one of her sons, Workenesh travelled on foot to reach to the Health Centre. Workenesh had surgery on both eyes that day. The eye patches were removed the next day and Workenesh was excited to see clearly, with no fear of light and with no pain. Workenesh is now very happy to return to her work on the farm and to send her children back to school.
Women like Workensesh are three to four times more likely to need surgery for advanced trachoma than men. Even more devastating is that they can easily pass the infection on to their children.
With thanks to your support, Orbis can reach vulnerable women like Workenesh and provide them with the trachoma surgery needed to stop their pain and suffering. Orbis also distribute antibiotics which treat trachoma sufferers and their families against further re-infection. With your continued support, Orbis can continue to positively change the lives of women like Workenesh and their families, who live with the constant threat of trachoma infection.
Thank You!
By Asnaqech Ayyaano | Women's Group Leader
By Collette McEntee | Intern
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