“An inspiring father is one who puts his family first”
To mark Father’s Day, we spoke to two fathers involved in projects that have been supported by players of People's Postcode Lottery to learn about their work, their family and their favourite parts of being a parent.
Mai-Mai Linha
Mai-Mai is the provinicial head of ophthalmology in Nampula, Mozambique. Thanks to funding from players of People’s Postcode Lottery, we have been able to train eye health workers like Mai Mai who carry out initial screening camps for eye conditions in the community and then refer people for treatment.
Mai-Mai is able to travel to hospital with the patients and is often there for the moment their bandages are removed after cataract surgery. He says: “To see people seeing their family again… The smile that they bring to me is an enormous joy.”
“When I'm away from my children because of my job, I talk to them every day. Wherever your treasure is, there is your heart.”
What do you think makes an inspirational father?
“Be true, honest and loving. When a father respects his family, he inspires respect and makes children of character and personality.”
What would you say is the best thing about being a father?
“Being a father is an honour. Being able to accompany, assist, help and teach a child on the path they must walk is rewarding.”
How do you balance your work and family life?
“I have three children: one girl and two boys. When I’m away from them because of my job, every day I talk to them by the hour. I set aside the time for them every day. In short, wherever your treasure is, there is your heart.”
What is the most important thing a father can teach his children?
“The most important thing is to teach the truth, educate, teach respect and honesty.”
What do you enjoy doing most with your children?
“I like to travel with them, have lunch or dinner together and tell anecdotes.”
Can you tell us about the project you work on?
“The eye health project I work on has been going for more than 10 years restoring sight for people in need, supporting infrastructures as well as the development of human resources. Currently, eye health services are located all over the province. Thanks to this project, we are increasingly controlling the dynamics of services and are committed to providing services to people with disabilities as well as women, who rarely benefit from this. We help to equip health facilities with ophthalmic services, and we have community health workers trained to help deliver eye health services.”
How would you describe the impact that it has on people’s lives?
“The important thing is when people see again! They can once again do what they used to do; they no longer depend on anyone. They can easily go to school and work. They are no longer discriminated against in the community because of the disability.”
Do you have a message for players of People’s Postcode Lottery?
“I thank the players for the support they have given to the project to help us achieve our objectives and carry out eye health activities. This support has really helped our beneficiaries.”
Abdul Kandeh Turay
Abdul is a teacher at a secondary school in Rokula in Sierra Leone. He’s one of the 180 teachers across 45 schools in the country trained by Sightsavers to become ‘inclusion champions’, to ensure children with disabilities are able to go to school and learn alongside their peers.
Abdul tells us this project is having a dramatic impact on the lives of children with disabilities. He explains that the children now “feel at home, they feel included, they are free, they don’t feel stigmatised, they interact with others. Before, they always shied away from others.”
“The Education for All project I worked on affected many lives in my community. So many children with disabilities were able to progress academically.”
What do you think makes an inspirational father?
“An inspiring father is one who puts his family first. He spends time with his family and loves them unconditionally. An inspiring father is a role model to his children.”
What would you say is the best thing about being a father?
“The best thing about being a father to me is the time and love we share together as a family.”
How do you balance your work and family life?
“I have three children. I teach from 7.30am to 2pm, and I always return home immediately afterwards so I can spend quality time with my kids. The weekends, of course, are all for us.”
What is the most important thing a father can teach his children?
“The most important thing I teach my kids is respect, for oneself and for others.”
What do you enjoy doing most with your children?
“I enjoy playing with them and having funny discussions.”
Can you tell us about the project you work on?
“The inclusive education project I worked on, called Education for All, was an inspiring one. It made me have more passion for children with disabilities.”
How would you describe the impact that it has on people’s lives?
“The project affected many lives in my community. So many children with disabilities were able to progress academically, all because of this project. Some had stopped going to school as a result of the discrimination and stigmatisation, but were able to come back through this project.”
Do you have a message for players of People’s Postcode Lottery?
“I want to thank and appreciate them for what they have done in our country. Their project affected many lives. They were able to bring back children with disabilities who had left school and those who have not been coming to school. Their support was invaluable to us. Many of those who came back were retained and are still in school.”
Read about our work with People's Postcode Lottery
Sightsavers and PPLMore stories
A day in the life: “You really feel that you’ve made a difference”
Dr Moira Chinthambi received a Sightsavers scholarship to train as an ophthalmologist and now works on our inclusive eye health programme in Malawi.
A day in the life: “I’ve wanted to do this for a long time”
Alinafe Zaina is studying clinical ophthalmology in Malawi with the help of a scholarship provided by Sightsavers’ inclusive eye health programme.
We are… promoting inclusive elections
We’re working with partners in Cameroon and Senegal to ensure people with disabilities are able to take part in every stage of the political process.
