Eritrea: This is a story about a little boy named Sammy. Sammy lives in Eritrea, one of the poorest countries in the world, perched on the edge of the Red Sea in the northernmost corner of Africa.

Fred Hollows first visited Eritrea while a 30-year war of independence against its neighbour Ethiopia was raging and he was very impressed by the way the Eritrean medical community performed under fire.

Eritrea is still feeling the effects of that war but, with the help of The Fred Hollows Foundation, huge progress has been made in terms of eye health.

A few years ago, Sammy got the best Christmas present ever.

Sammy, then two and a half, had congenital cataracts removed from both of his eyes.

All he had ever been able to see was faint light or darkness. With both eyes bandaged after the operation, the little boy was scared and tearful.

Sammy's father is devoted to him and stayed with him in hospital to care for him. He sat by his bed, stroking him and feeding him, and walked the corridors with Sammy in his arms to calm him down.

The time came for Sammy’s bandages to be removed.

The little boy blinked and looked around in wonder.

Soon Sammy was transformed into a delightful little boy filled with curiosity.

It was Dr Desbele Ghebreghergis, now the Medical Director of Birhan Hospital in Asmara, who operated on little Sammy.

Fred Hollows met Dr Des on his first visit to Eritrea and arranged for him to come to Sydney, where he spent a year training with Fred at the Prince of Wales Hospital.

Sammy was so young when he had his first operation that he couldn't have intraocular lenses (IOLs) implanted – we have to wait until eyes are sufficiently developed – so he was given thick Coke-bottle glasses to wear for several years.

But Sammy can now play, run, make friends like other little boys his age and go to school.

The world of this child, and tens of thousands of people like him, has been changed forever by the generosity of people who give to The Fred Hollows Foundation.