Help Her See. Help Her Succeed: Allen’s Story

Stories | Published: June 15, 2021

First Allen’s eyes started itching, then they reddened, and them the pain became unbearable…

“I first thought it was because of the dust from the stone quarry where I work… I relaxed when the itching stopped,” her mum, Elizabeth says.

But at school, nine-year-old Allen wasn’t doing well.

“I started finding Allen outside the classroom. She would tell me teachers had pushed her out of the classroom because she could not see,” Elizabeth notes.

As Allen’s vision worsened, Elizabeth went to the government health centre, but the doctors told her to buy glasses to improve Allen’s sight. She couldn’t afford them, so she took Allen to our partner hospital who diagnosed cataracts in Allen’s eyes.

Elizabeth returned home and gave up, thinking that her daughter would never be able to see again… making her more vulnerable and dependent on others for survival.

“One time, she went to the water spring and the children there smeared hot pepper in her eyes. They beat her up and she came back crying. I felt like someone was piercing my heart with an arrow…” Elizabeth says in anguish.

Elizabeth’s prayer is for a good Samaritan to help to fund the surgery Allen needs and provide the glasses she will need to see clearly, and live her life.

Allen agrees sadly, “I want to be able to see like others, I will go back to school to perform better than others. I want to become a nurse to treat the sick.”

Help her see. Help her succeed.

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