Dugo is a 70-year-old widow from Ethiopia. She has one son and three daughters. Life has been hard since her husband died. She moved in with one of her daughters, who is divorced and works as a daily labourer to support the whole household.
For more than two years, cataracts in both eyes have been taking away this grandmother’s sight. A year ago, she went to a nearby health facility for help, but she was told the cataracts were not yet ready for surgery, and she had to go home and wait. Since then, her sight has grown much worse. Her vision is now heavily clouded, and moving around the house is unsafe. She can easily stumble, and a fall at her age could be serious. She can no longer help her daughter with the housework or look after her grandson, the two things she most wants to do for a family already stretched thin.
On November 11th, Dugo is scheduled to undergo cataract surgery with the help of our medical partner, Saglan Wajee General Hospital, where surgeons will remove and replace the blurred lens in both eyes. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, Dugo needs help to raise $300 to fund this procedure.
For a woman who spent her life caring for others, becoming the one who needs care has been painful. She feels helpless, and her household carries the strain with her. Dugo shared, “I want to walk through my home without fear of falling, see my grandson’s face clearly, and help my daughter with the housework again.”
