In 2006 we trained 45 people to carry out lid surgery
Rosemary is SAFE and sound
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| Rosemary, after her operation © Sightsavers |
Rosemary Kassim lives in Salima district, Malawi, an area known for an extremely high prevalence of trachoma, and she had spent years suffering from the infection.
Rosemary, 40, has had repeated infections on and off since she was a young girl of about 12, and recently developed trichiasis. "I felt itching and had a headache all the time," she said. "My eyes hurt and I couldn't see very well." Although she was in constant pain and unable to see properly, Rosemary had to continue farming the family's two hectares of maize, potatoes and cassava in order to feed her four children.
Community eye health worker Elliot Phale visited Rosemary during a door-to-door survey to identify trachoma, and encouraged her to go for eyelid surgery. She was picked up and taken to hospital in a hospital vehicle, operated on, and returned home the following day.
Rosemary couldn't believe the improvement in how she felt. "My headache was gone, I could see, there were no more problems. Now I'm not struggling any more to do work, as I was in the past." Elliot also works in Rosemary's community to help implement the SAFE strategy among villagers, focusing on preventing trachoma through such things as face washing and improved sanitation.
Just £5 could save one person's sight and stop the pain.
Discover how the Sightsavers is implementing the SAFE strategy to help prevent trachoma and trichiasis.
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