- Sight Restoring Case Studies
- About Fred
- Learning Centre
- Information Sheets
- Research and reports
- Wallpaper
- E-Cards
- Photos & slideshows
Kipar's story 
Kenya: Special field report by Brian Doolan, CEO
Our team was really stunned at how dirty four year old Kipar was.
The rest of the family were clean, in spite of the punishingly harsh environment in which they live in remote Northern Kenya.
It hasn't rained in this part of Kenya for five years. The bark and mud hut in which Kipar's nomadic family live is surrounded by dry, rocky ground as far as you can see.
Then we realised. The reason Kipar was grubby is not that's he's not loved. He is, deeply. You can see it in the adoring looks and affection shown by his family.
Kipar was dirty because the cataracts that he was born with in both eyes made him almost completely blind. There was no way he could walk the 10 kms to the nearest water to wash himself.The fact that Kipar is still alive is a credit to his family's care.
3 out of 4 people who are blind don't need to be
Blindness is a death sentence in a country where no one can afford to be unproductive - everyone has to work, even children.
Kipar is just one of 40 million people living with blindness in the developing world. Through blindness they miss out on education, on families, on supporting themselves. And they die early, often within five years of going blind.
The tragedy is that blindness can be treated or prevented in 3 out of 4 of these people.
Kipar's father is enormously proud of his family, and loves his son deeply. He knew something was wrong with Kipar's eyesight, but had no idea that blindness could be treated.
Luckily for Kipar, word spread that The Fred Hollows Foundation could help.
So he and his father set off, walking 25 km in scalding 35 degree heat to the nearest clinic, Chemolingot District Hospital. Kipar had his eyes screened and he was immediately referred to The Foundation supported Nakuru Eye Unit for treatment.
Kipar was lucky enough to be treated by a terrific surgeon, Dr Kibata. He's a great bloke.
Dr Kibata is a trained paediatric ophthalmologist who heard that The Fred Hollows Foundation and our Medical Director for East Africa, Dr Wanjiku Mathenge were keen to restore sight to more children.
"I've received specialty training in children and really I just have a passion for these kids."
"Without an operation," Dr Kibata observed, "Kipar would be completely blind in a couple of years - probably dead by then. Whereas with a cataract operation and maybe some glasses, who knows where this child will be?"
Kipar's joy, and theirs, was tangible
The transformation in Kipar after the operation was amazing.
Our team drove as far as they could into the rough country where he lives. The last kilometre of rocky ground had to be tackled on foot.
It was a joy to see Kipar picking his way through the stones, rather than tripping and falling as he had always done before.
Then Kipar saw his family waiting in the distance. He ran to his mother, and threw his arms around her, both their faces wreathed in huge smiles.
He demonstrated his new accomplishments to his family by turning somersaults on the tree branches, and brandishing his brother's toy bow and arrow, which he'd never been able to use before.
All the work and commitment to train doctors and nurses, screen and treat patients - all of it was repaid a million times over in that moment.
Through an interpreter, Kipar's father shared his hopes for his son's future.
"Education is the key to life now. This is the way I see it... now that Kipar can see better, I will make sure that when he is of age, he will go to school."
Thanks to our supporters, not only has Kipar had his sight restored, he has a future ahead of him that goes beyond the mud and thatched huts of his nomadic people. He will be able to go to school, and learn to read and write.
I am proud of this achievement but there is still so much more to do.
Over the next five years we want to double the number of people we screen and treat.
This is an ambitious goal but Fred was never one to shy away from a challenge. And The Foundation won't either.
Your gift this Christmas will help restore sight and transform the lives of more people like Kipar, helping them get an education, earn an income and raise themselves out of poverty.
Please give $25, $80, $250 or as much as you can this Christmas to help others just like Kipar.
|
"I am very very grateful. I don't know how I can pay people who have helped us back.. People from nowhere have come and given us a lot of assistance and they are a part of me and my family now." - Kipar's father |
|
View the photo slideshow of Kipar's remarkable story.
Read our interview with Dr Kibata, who carried out Kipar's sight-restoring surgery.
Facts and figures
Last year The Foundation worked in 18 countries, screened more than 1.3 million people and carried out 176,472 eye operations and treatments.
2008 Achievements in Kenya
- Performed 2,701 eye operations and treatments
- Screened 18,513 patients
- Trained 295 eye health workers
Program overview
- Funded the construction of the Nakuru Eye Unit. One of the only comprehensive eye units in the Rift Valley Province of Kenya.
- Supporting the Nakuru Children's Eye Unit, specialising in Children's eye health for those who can't afford surgery.
- Conducting outreach programs, treating patients with trachoma and cataract as well as training medical staff at each of the remote camps.
- Provided operating microscopes to newly trained surgeons.
- Established an optical workshop in the Nakuru Eye Unit, to provide affordable prescription glasses.
- Supporting a low vision workshop with a full time low vision specialist.
 |
|