For years, her youngest son Abiso was a bundle of joy, quiet, gentle, full of laughter, running through the fields and playing with friends. But a year ago, everything changed.
World Sight Day: A Mother’s Fight to Save Her Son’s Sight
In the rural heart of Demeba Woreda, Ethiopia, four-year-old Abiso lives with his parents and six siblings. His mother, Zenash, works tirelessly farming maize and ensete (false banana) crops on their small plot of land, to give her children a brighter future.
The First Signs of Trouble
“It started with pain in his eyes,” recalls Zenash. “He cried constantly. He wouldn’t play anymore – he just wanted me to hold him.”
Without access to local medical care, Zenash turned to traditional remedies. The redness in his eyes eased at times, but the pain never stopped.
“I was heartbroken,” she says. “He is so young. I feared for his future.”
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A Common but Dangerous Threat
Abiso was suffering from trachoma, an infectious eye disease spread by flies with transmission increased by lack of sanitation. It is the world’s leading causes of infectious blindness, and in communities like Demeba, children are especially vulnerable.
“Here, eye infections are common,” says Zenash. “We have little access to doctors. Many people rely on traditional healers, but it can be risky.”
Without treatment, repeated trachoma infections can scar the eyelids and lead to irreversible blindness.
Donate today to help children like Abiso
Help Arrives
Everything changed when Orbis-supported health extension workers visited the village. They diagnosed Abiso and provided free medication and ointment, along with hygiene advice and environmental care to stop the disease from spreading.
“I follow the health worker’s advice carefully,” says Zenash. “I apply the ointment to his eyes every day. My hope is to see my boy healthy again.”
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A Mother's Hope
Zenash dreams of a better future for her son. “I want him to become a doctor one day. He’s kind, he’s bright, and he deserves a life without pain.”
Her faith sustains her through the challenges. “I believe that with God’s help, trachoma will one day be eliminated from our community. Until then, I will never give up.”
This World Sight Day, You Can Help
Right now, children like Abiso are at risk of losing their sight simply because they were born in places with limited access to eye care. But with the right help trachoma is preventable, treatable, and can be eliminated for good from Ethiopia.
Your support can bring urgent treatment, education, and hope to families and communities around the world.
Please give today and help protect a child’s sight.
