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You can help open a child’s eyes

Happy would sometimes close her eyes for 24 hours to bear the agony of trachoma. Will you help free more children from this daily horror?

At just six years old, Happy knew nothing other than the constant agony of trachoma.

This painful eye disease is the most common infectious cause of blindness. Happy’s infection was so advanced that her eyelashes turned inwards, scraping against her eyes with every painful blink. Happy was at risk of losing her sight forever.

Happy often had to lie down, exhausted and crying. Each time she opened her eyes, she would quickly squeeze them shut again – the pain was too intense. She would often walk with her eyes tightly closed, holding her mother’s hand to avoid falling. Happy couldn’t go to school, and Fosca had to quit her job to care for her.

Happy needed an operation to free her from daily pain, but the closest medical clinic was more than 280 km away and the cost was beyond Fosca’s means. Thankfully, everything changed when a local health worker diagnosed Happy with trichiasis and referred her to a Sightsavers-supported medical team.

Fosca attempts to wash Happy's eyes with soap and water.
Fosca did everything she could to alleviate Happy's pain. She washed her face with soap and water, and bought medicine and ointment. Tragically, these efforts did not succeed.
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A health worker examines Happy's eyes.
Local health workers examined Happy's eyes and discovered her trachoma infection had progressed into trichiasis.
Gerald, wearing a Sightsavers-branded T-shirt, picks up Fosca and Happy from their home.
Gerald, a translator for Sightsavers, picked up Fosca and Happy ahead of their journey to hospital.
Happy surrounded by surgeons and medical staff during her trichiasis operation.
Happy received the operation she desperately needed to correct her in-turned eyelids, and medicine to treat the infection.
Happy smiles after successful treatment for trachoma.
After her treatment, Happy no longer kept her head down and her eyes closed. Now, she was smiling and looking everyone in the eye.

How we use donations

91% of donations to Sightsavers, including donated supplies, support our vital charity work. The remainder helps us grow awareness and raise more funds for our life-changing projects.

Happy received the operation she urgently needed to correct her turned-in eyelids, as well as medicine to treat her infection. Her sight was saved, and her eyes were open to a brighter future. Fosca’s relief was overwhelming.

Following the surgery, Happy could finally open her eyes without pain. She was transformed: gone was the quiet girl with slumped shoulders, barely able to open her eyes. Instead, she was smiling and looking everyone in the eye. She could play with her friends and go to school, free from the constant agony that had dominated her young life. It was the first time we had seen Happy and Fosca laughing.

Globally, more than 14 million children are suffering from trachoma, while millions more are at risk of infection. Children like Happy need your help to escape the daily horror of trachoma, giving them the chance to see a brighter future.

Please donate today: your support could help Sightsavers and our partners to provide vital treatments and transform lives.

Help protect more people from the agony of trachoma

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