Help Her See. Help Her Succeed: Allen’s Story
Stories | 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.
Click here to make a Donation today.
https://www.cbm.org.au/stories/help-her-see-help-her-succeed-allens-story
Related Stories
A Light of Hope
Content Warning: The story in this letter refers to suicide, which may be distressing for some readers. If you or someone you know is in need of support, please...
Small Business, Big Impact: supporting mental health in Indonesia
Work is a big part of our lives. Not...
A Resilient Woman
Margie, a mother of seven, is a daycare worker in a small coastal village in the Philippines. A few years ago, Margie was diagnosed with a mental health condition after...