Ophthalmic nurse Carolyn Chenalan Jepkemboi has a smile as bright as the Kenyan sunshine and a personality to match. Carolyn, who works at the eye clinic in the town of Kapsabet, Kenya, cares for patients with eye health issues, and assists with cataract and trachoma operations. “I wanted to be a nurse since primary school. It’s wonderful to help blind people have vision again,” she says cheerfully.
Carolyn achieved her childhood dream with the help of funding from Operation Eyesight.
“I’m a project!” she says, smiling. “I’m very grateful to you. Operation Eyesight is wonderful; you help a lot of people.”
Not far away in the village of Iten, ophthalmic clinical officer and cataract surgeon Agnes Maiyo repeats Carolyn’s thanks. “We really appreciate the support from Operation Eyesight! I did my training through your organization, and now I’m a cataract surgeon. I’m proud of my training; it changed my life.”
Further to the north in Kitale district, Judith Boiyo is a trained community health worker, identifying patients who need eye care and accompanying them to Kitale Hospital.
Judith told me, “People say there’s no need to help old women. Old age is their only problem. I tell them everyone should be helped. I chose this work because people don’t know how to manage their health, and it means a lot to me to help them. I’m happy and I like what I do.”
Like many other eye health care professionals throughout Africa and India, Carolyn, Agnes and Judith received training thanks to generous donations from Operation Eyesight supporters. Now they possess the skills, knowledge and motivation to help care for the eye health of their entire communities.
Just imagine how the impact of our donors’ original gifts has grown!
Not only does Operation Eyesight fund leading-edge training for community workers, cataract surgeons and ophthalmic nurses, we train vision care technicians, optometrists and highly skilled ophthalmologists. Won’t you help other people in India and Africa achieve a meaningful profession that can help save the eyesight of thousands of others? Visit our online Gift Guide today to buy your gift of training for eye care professionals!