Stories
Together, we have impacted the lives of thousands of people.
Here are a few of the stories of how our work has changed lives.
Esther
Esther was a top magistrate fighting for justice.But she had to give it up when her eyesight deteriorated due to an inherited genetic condition. While there was little we could do to restore her sight, we gifted her a magnifier, and a magnification system to scan and project documents in large print.
The evidence of their effects was clearly shown on Esther’s radiant face, allowing her to continue to work in the job she is so passionate about.
Paul
We diagnosed Paul with glaucoma. If left untreated, glaucoma causes tunnel vision and even leads to blindness.
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One of the dangers of glaucoma is that symptoms do not start showing up until it's too late. Glaucoma cannot be reversed - but if it is found early, it is possible prevent the loss of sight.
Thankfully, we caught Paul's at an early stage, and he still has excellent sight. We started him on medication straight away, and referred him to a hospital to receive ongoing treatment. With regular check ups and medication, Paul's sight has been saved.
Titas
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Titas worked at the local supermarket, earning him a steady income as a bag packer.
His job was made all the more difficult with his increasing loss of his sight. In fact, it was so poor that his colleagues nicknamed him the 'blind man.' The cultural stigma of being blind is rampant in Kenya, and Titas was not alone in being on the receiving end of shame and stigma.
But after visiting our clinic, he was provided with a pair of glasses that completely changed his life. He was able to do his job competently, on an even par with his colleagues. Now, they call him Titas.
Beatrice
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When we first met Beatrice at one of our eye clinics, she was clearly in terrible pain.
One of our optometrists examined her and discovered she had a nasty infected ulcer that covered about half of her cornea.
Without medication, the eye would have almost certainly gone blind.​ It was our joy to see that with a course of antibiotics, Beatrice returned to the clinic completely healed.
Grace
Grace travelled around 80km to visit the clinic. She was determined to receive the eyecare she so desperately needed.
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When our optometrists examined Grace, we discovered she had trachoma.This painful condition, if untreated, leads to irreversible blindness.
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We gave life-changing medication to Grace and her family to prevent its spread.
Because of our partnership with local NGO Edfri International, our meeting with Grace provided the opportunity for Grace to be sponsored so she can keep going to school and receive an education. A simple eye appointment has led Grace's life being transformed.
Deborah
Deborah arrived at the clinic clearly suffering from the eye disease trachoma.
Having been assessed by the team at the clinic, she was given some drops and oral antibiotics to treat the trachoma.
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One year later Deborah made a return visit to the clinic in Meru to thank the team for their help.
Her eyes have been healed of the trachoma and she is now able to go to school.
Her future is full of hope.
Evans and Violet
At Evans initial examination, we diagnosed advanced childhood glaucoma caused by exceptionally high pressure in his eyes. His sister Violet also had very high eye pressure and was at risk of vision loss.
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We referred Evans for treatment. He was given drops, but this did not lower the pressure enough and he needed surgical intervention, as did his sister Violet.
When we next saw him, his eye pressure had reduced to normal stopping the deterioration of his eyesight.
They are both now glaucoma 'free'.
Linet
Linet had a hard start to life with the death of her Mum and absence of her Dad. It was her schoolteacher who brought her to a SeeKenya clinic after noticing her difficulties in class.
Linet could only read a book just 7cm away from her face, anything else was a complete blur.
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The SeeKenya team were quickly able to make up a very strong pair of glasses in the behind-the-scenes glazing lab which she received that same day.
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These glasses have completely changed Linet's life for the better; her hope of achieving an education restored.
Neema
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Neema's parents had driven over 500km from the Ethiopian border, vistiting 17 hospitals or opticains in the process, from in a desperate attempt to help their daughter.
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Neema has a condition called sclerocornea, making her functionally blind.
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We quickly established that Neema was extremely short sighted and that her vision could possibly be helped with a strong pair of glasses. Within an hour the glasses were made. This was not a perfect solution and has not resolved the underlying problem of the opaque corneas. But Neema could now see movement across the room, giving high fives to the team!
We also promised to investigate possible surgical treatment options. Her father responded in tears, saying “You are the first people who have given us hope.”
