Health Update - Sight for the Blind!

A very inspiring story today, one that has already touched many lives and has the potential to touch many more.  One afternoon in late October, a party of Campi ya Kanzi guests visited Iltilal village and its residents to volunteer with the Trust for an afternoon.  In speaking with MWCT doctor Dr. Edward Omete, ophthalmologist Pamela Thiene, here purely on vacation, volunteered to help at the clinic with any eye-related diseases she could for an afternoon.

Njeda and his grandmother on their way from Kuku Group Ranch to Nairobi.

Njeda, a two-year old Maasai child born to a fifteen year-old mother who abandoned him and living with his grandmother, was born blind thanks to bilateral congenital cataracts.  In the Western world, this is a simple problem easily solved by surgery, but on Kuku such access to healthcare is not available.  Inspired by Dr. Thiene's generosity and selflessness, MWCT volunteer Jessica Hardy and health coordinators Dr. Omete and Lena Koh began searching for a hospital to perform the operation.

Njeda waiting at Lion's SightFirst Eye Hospital in Nairobi for his surgery.

Lions SightFirst Eye Hospital in Nairobi was willing to help, and upon hearing about the situation offered to perform the operation for no charge.  Campi ya Kanzi donated the necessary funds for Njeda and his grandmother, Jessica, and Dr. Omete to travel to Nairobi for the procedure earlier this month, and it was a tremendous, heartbreakingly wonderful success.

Njeda at the hospital with eyes covered by bandages following the surgery.

Lions Hospital was instrumental in making this project work, and they have agreed to help more Maasai with eye problems at a reduced rate, even to the point of setting up a temporary clinic much closer to Kuku Group Ranch to save travel to Nairobi.  There are thousands of Maasai living with easily treatable eye problems; please visit this fundraising page to see how you can help.

The first light seen by this little boy's eyes in his whole life.

Terrified of what was happening to him but unable to see what it was, Njeda clung to his grandmother before the surgery.  Afterward, as his bandages were removed and he saw light with his eyes for the first time in his life, he smiled up at her and touched her cheek.  Driving back to his home in the bush, he stared in wonderment at the gorgeous scenery all around him.  This was truly a case of selfless giving, and a wonderful collaboration between Campi ya Kanzi, the Lions Hospital, and the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust.