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Category: Case Studies

Malawi: Samuel’s story

After a long ambition to pursue a career within the medical sciences, Samuel Chagwadira became one of Malawi’s first ever optometrists in 2012. Samuel, along with four of his classmates, was among the very first graduates from the Malawi School of Optometry at Mzuzu University.

As one of the first students in the program, Samuel remembers the early challenges when the university had limited equipment and resources. With the successful development of the School of Optometry, Samuel is now able to look towards even further study.

“My goals are to pursue my Masters and then my PhD, and to offer my services to my country and to Africa as whole,” he said. “The optometry program is a beautiful thing.”

Samuel

Samuel said that graduating was like a dream come true, and that he will always cherish the memories of his time with lecturers and classmates.

“To be part of the first group of graduate optometrists in Malawi feels great,” he said. “It is history in the making; we’ve written history!”

Optometry Giving Sight was one of the funding partners that aided in the establishment of the Malawi School of Optometry.

Sri Lanka: Mrs Liyanage

Mrs. Liyanage is the sole carer for her ailing husband. Her eyesight is vital in ensuring her and her husband have food and are safe. Her vision was causing her problems. She was struggling to see well enough to effectively take care of her husband and complete household chores.

Her inability to safely navigate her community was causing her distress.

“My vision problems made it difficult to do my housework. I couldn’t look after my husband well,” Mrs. Liyanage said with concern.

In a transforming moment, Mrs. Liyanage had her eyes tested and was fitted with a pair of glasses. After many years struggling to see clearly, she can now safely and competently do all the things she needs to do in order to take care of her husband.

After receiving her glasses, Mrs. Liyanage smiled with great relief and said, “Now I can look after my husband well!”

With no children to provide support, the Liyanages are an elderly couple completely reliant on one another. The importance of Mrs. Liyanage having clear vision could not be underestimated.

Thanks to a simple eye examination and pair of glasses, Mrs. Liyanage is confident her husband’s care needs will be met well into the foreseeable future.

The Giving Sight to Sri Lanka program is supported by Optometry Giving Sight.