A family’s darkest hour, but your support brought light

In a small village in Kenya, a family was living on the edge. Eveline was blind. So were her two young children, Ruth and Vincent. Every day was a struggle. But with the help of generous supporters like you, everything changed.

Three people in one family were blind. None of them needed to be.

When Boniface and Eveline discovered their youngest children were going blind, their world fell apart.

Living in Siaya County, Kenya, the family of six was already struggling. Boniface worked long hours transporting water, but his back-breaking labour barely covered the essentials. On top of that, Eveline was also blind—and every day was getting harder.

“Before going blind, I would fry and vend chips at Oyude market to earn an income," Eveline explained, "but I had to stop.”

Their daughter Ruth, just seven years old, was falling behind. She had repeated her school level twice and relied on her older brother to do her homework.

Two-year-old Vincent, an energetic toddler, couldn’t explore the world around him. And Eveline worried about keeping their home safe and clean. "I have no eyes to see and do things on my own,” she said.

All Eveline wanted was for her children to see again—and have a chance at a better future.

Thanks to you, that future is now within reach.

From desperation to joy, all because of you

Your kindness led to life-changing cataract surgery for Eveline, Ruth and Vincent.

With support from the Ruma Women Development CBO, The Fred Hollows Foundation was able to reach the family in their remote village and bring them to Sabatia Eye Hospital. There, the medical team performed surgery on one eye for each family member, with plans to operate on the other eye later.

When they returned home, Boniface was overjoyed. “God has answered our prayers,” he said, overwhelmed with gratitude.

Eveline, Ruth, and Vincent could now see again. Eveline’s vision improvement was particularly meaningful for her, as she now had the chance to live a more independent life. “I can see you very clearly. I’m so happy to the CBO and The Fred Hollows Foundation. We can see again,” she said.

Blindness and vision loss in Kenya

In Kenya, access to quality eye care is limited—but your support is helping to change that.

A growing crisis for eye health

More than 328,000 people in Kenya are blind, with 750,000 visually impaired.

Cataracts are the leading cause

Cataracts cause 43% of blindness in Kenya. Every year, around 14,500 new cases of cataract are discovered.

Women face greater barriers

Women experience higher rates of blindness, but fewer receive surgery than men.

Specialists in the country are limited

Eye care services are limited—half of all ophthalmologists work in Nairobi, leaving 40 million people with less than 50 eye doctors.

Why your help matters

Treating blindness isn’t just life-changing—it’s one of the best investments we can make.

Without sight, a child faces a lifetime of disadvantage, including lower employment chances and social isolation.
75% of learning happens through vision—children who are blind struggle to access education.
In low-income countries, blind children are often kept at home due to stigma and lack of resources.
In Kenya, every $1 invested in cataract treatment creates a $52 economic return.

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One year on, from struggle to strength

One year later, the family’s situation is much brighter. At school, Ruth is excelling. She can now clearly see the blackboard, and her teachers praise her enthusiasm, particularly in maths. Ruth is thriving academically, and her self-esteem is soaring.

Though Vincent is still too young for school, he can now play with his friends, something he couldn’t do before.

Eveline has also been able to join a local social enterprise, the "chama," which pools resources at the community level. “Previously, I couldn’t join because I lacked an income and struggled to count my change. But now, everything has changed,” she shares with a smile.

The family’s transformation has not gone unnoticed. Boniface says that neighbours, who once spoke negatively about them, now show respect and admiration. “Even the area chief has taken notice, personally inviting me to community events,” he says proudly.

A chance to change more lives

Fred Hollows at the African Crisis Appeal

Photo caption: Fred was always committed to Africa’s future. In 1991, he helped launch the African Crisis Appeal at Parliament House, Canberra.

Whenever Fred Hollows had the chance to change a life, he took it. He believed that everyone—no matter where they live—deserves quality eye care.

Fred’s work took him across Africa, where he saw firsthand how preventable blindness trapped families in poverty. He dreamed of a future where people like Eveline, Boniface, Ruth, and Vincent would have the opportunity to thrive.

Fred once said, “Africa is one of the reasons I became an Ophthalmologist".

When you restore sight, you’re not just changing one life—you’re transforming an entire family’s future. Fred knew that. And that’s why The Foundation’s early work focused on Africa, where the need was so great.

This year, your gift can help:

Screen more than 250,000 people
Perform more than 18,000 cataract surgeries
Train more than 2,200 people including surgeons, teachers and community health workers
Educate more than 246,000 people in eye health care