Imagine being blind for a second…frustrating right? Here is Ulrich’s story, a ten year old form one student who almost lost his sight for good.
Ulrich who comes from a humble background in Cameroon was only five years old when he was diagnosed with cataracts in both eyes, a situation that kept him away from having a normal childhood.
His mother who prefers to be called Sandrine, had the daunting task of following him up closely and giving him the assistance he needed.
“It was a very difficult period for me, worrying about his future. I was faced with the challenge of ensuring his safety while at school and at home,” explains Ulrich’s mother.
Unable to clearly see the blackboard and his books, he had to always sit on the front row in class but things were not any different.
Bothered about his academic performance, Sandrine took her son for an eye check in one of the hospitals in the nation’s capital, Yaounde.
For his vision to be restored, she had to pay an operation fee of four hundred and sixty thousand francs CFA (760USD), an amount she could not afford.
With no solution available, Ulrich’s mother accepted that her son would have to live with the poor vision, relying on others to assist him daily.
In Cameroon, the limited availability of public and private clinics offering eye care services severely inhibits access to care.
Even when eye health facilities are present, the cost of services are often prohibitive, making eye care inaccessible for a majority of families and particularly children.
Fast forward to when Ulrich got to Class Six, his final year in primary school. The young boy who aspires to be a great mathematician with a passion for arts and comic writing was the centre of mockery.
“My peers always laughed at me calling me blind all in a bid to make me feel discouraged hoping it will affect my academic performance. Well, I feel they were just jealous because despite my handicap, I was still among the best students in class,” Ulrich says.
Amid these adversities, he had his mother by his side; she was his source of motivation to focus on his studies and not let the talking get to his mind.
Thankfully, a year later while a student at the Government Bilingual Practising High School in Yaounde, he became a perfect candidate for the ‘Bright Sight’ project for secondary school students aged 10 and above.
The inclusive eye care service initiated by a humanitarian organization, Helen Keller International (HKI) aims at improving the eye health and school performance of underserved school-aged children via increased screening and treatment of children with eye issues.
In December 2022, Ulrich underwent a two and a half hour-long free surgery at the Yaounde Central Hospital. That is how Ulrich finally had his vision restored, bringing the sparkle to his eyes.
For children like Ulrich, access to eye healthcare provides the gift of a brighter future. He can now pursue his dreams without any doubt, drawing the things he sees and solving the mathematical equations that come his way.
His story is that of many children who now have the gift of sight thanks to the Bright Sight project for secondary schools in Cameroon.
By Gladys Asu Ngouana (This story was first published by the Cameroon Radio Television’s former website Crtvweb.cm in March 2023)
