father Archives - Operation Eyesight

A father’s livelihood and hope restored

Caroline Wagner — Sat, 10 Aug 2024 00:41:40 +0000

The ancient art of ‘tea plucking”’ requires the picker to identify and pluck only the freshest, newest shoots on the tea plant. It requires dexterity, speed and, most importantly, excellent eyesight.

So, imagine trying to pick tea efficiently when your eyes are clouded over with cataracts.

This was the situation for 36-year-old Milan, who lives at the Nahorjan Tea Estate in Assam, India.

He had worked as a tea picker for years before his vision started to fade. When his wife passed away suddenly, he was left alone to support their four young children. Shortly after, his eyesight reduced so much that he was able to detect little more than hand movement in front of his eyes.

Robbed of his ability to work, Milan and his children moved in with his father, leaving the burden of supporting the family on the aging grandfather.

“Assam tea is the best tea in the world, but while plucking the tea, the workers have more exposure to sunlight,” says Operation Eyesight Project Manager Tapobrat Bhuyan. “Sadly, long hours of exposure to solar radiation can contribute to the early development of cataracts.”

Hope arrived for Milan in February when he attended a screening camp at the tea estate, which we had organized with our local partner Chandraprabha Eye Hospital.

Vision loss made it impossible for Milan (left) to continue working as a tea picker. Before his sight-restoring surgery, Milan’s father (right) had to lead him by the hand to the clinic because Milan could not see well enough to walk on his own.

Days later, the hospital sent a bus to collect Milan and other patients to transport them for their surgeries in the nearby city of Jorhat. Milan underwent phacoemulsification surgery on both eyes, a technique that is considered the gold standard in cataract removal because it reduces recovery time.

About a month later, Milan was back at work picking tea. He’s grateful that he can once again support his family. Thanks to the compassion of our partners and donors like you, he and his children have hope for a brighter future.

Click here to make a difference in the life of a family like Milan’s today.

The post A father’s livelihood and hope restored appeared first on Operation Eyesight.

A Dad is…

Admin — Thu, 18 Oct 2018 09:38:19 +0000

A dad is respected because he gives his children leadership.
A dad is appreciated because he gives his children care.
A dad is valued because he gives his children time.
A dad is loved because he gives his children the one thing they treasure most: himself.

~ Author unknown

With Father’s Day only two days away, we take this opportunity to showcase some of the dads and grandfathers we have encountered through our work both in India and Africa. Click on the images to see bigger versions. It’s not too late to send an eCard to your father, grandpa, or spouse. Celebrate him with an eCard and a meaningful gift that honours him and helps fathers and families in Africa and India.

Ebenezer picks up his 11-year old daughter, Perpetual, after eye surgery at Tarkwa Municipal Hospital in Ghana, Africa. (Photo by Wairimu Gitahi)

A grandfather and grandson carefully watch a photographer as he walks through a village in India capturing images. (Photo by Peter Carrette.)

A young Indian dad helps to bathe his toddler while outside in a slum street. (Photo by Peter Carrette.)

Isn’t she sweet? An Indian dad looks proudly at his little girl. (Photo by Peter Carrette.)

The post A Dad is… appeared first on Operation Eyesight.

Meet a man who is a father to thousands

Admin — Thu, 18 Oct 2018 09:37:51 +0000

As Father’s Day approaches, imagine being a father who is responsible for the wellbeing of tens of thousands of people!

This, in fact, is the role of Father Sebastian, the director of Little Flower Hospital in Angamaly in the southwestern state of Kerala, India. Beneath his quiet, gentle manner lies a strong and determined leadership that was the guiding force for Little Flower’s growth and sustainability, and the basis of a case study at one of India’s business schools.

First established in 1936, Little Flower’s eye care department opened in 1964. This amazing facility is expanding its resources and services to meet the needs of a region with a population of 35 million people – more than all of Canada!

Little Flower is what we call a tertiary-level care facility – it is a regional centre of excellence that is equipped to treat even the most complicated cases. As such, it plays a major role in health care services in the region including treatment for those most in need and least able to pay.

When I first visited Little Flower in 2004, plans for the new general hospital and ophthalmology tower were in the early stages of development. The old facilities were dark, crowded and in many cases made the smooth, effective flow of activity impossible.

Under the leadership of Father Sebastian, who assumed the director role in 2004, and the support and recommendations of Operation Eyesight, the number of patients screened and surgeries performed has more than doubled.

In 2010, over 18,000 surgeries were performed by the ophthalmologists at Little Flower. The new facilities will add even more services as well as increased capacity.

In the coming year, hospital administration will be working with Operation Eyesight’s India team to provide community outreach to the remote islands of Lakshadweep off the coast of Kerala.

This project will serve as a model of strengthening systems and services in remote areas as well as a collaboration between a non-government hospital (Little Flower), the Indian government and Operation Eyesight.

It also reflects the values of Little Flower and Father Sebastian as well as Operation Eyesight as we are all committed to eradicating avoidable blindness and ensuring access for all.

June 19 is Fathers’ Day. Consider giving a gift in honour of the dad in your life and, by doing so, help parents in India and Africa. See the Gift Guide section of our website.

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