Sight

I have written about my connection to Mary and her family many times over the last few years. Her story is remarkable. I met her in 2003 whilst teaching basic ICT courses to teachers in a slum school in Nairobi. A few months later she lost her husband to AIDS. She was also HIV positive having been infected by her husband. Sadly her oldest son was also infected. Believing she was going to die she decided to learn about computers in an effort to setup a business that would support her children after she passed away. Through computers and connections she found out about ARV (Anti-retro-viral) treatment and succeeded in getting free treatment through Medecin Sans Frontiers. Since this time she has setup a small business that provides filtered water to people in the slum she lives. The business employs others who also have HIV. She has also established a small church in the community which now has about 100 members. She goes about her life in a quiet majestic way taking on each challenge with courage and dignity and she never ceases to amaze and inspire me by the way she lives her life.

Her children are also wonderful people. She has two sons and a daughter, all very bright and doing well in school especially her daughter Victoria. Victoria achieved the top marks in the school in her primary school examinations and wants to be a doctor. I have no doubt, if given the opportunity she will succeed in her dreams. Through a good friend in Ireland her high school education has been funded and she is now in her final year and hoping to go to University. Victoria is the class representative in a class of peers that would come from far more privileged backgrounds. Everything she does, she does with passion and energy and commitment. She reminds me so much of her mum.

All was going well till about 6 months ago. Victoria started complaining of head aches when she was studying and if she worked through the pain her eyes would fill up with water making it extremely difficult for her to read. Something which has put her under tremendous strain given its her final year in high school.

At first the doctors thought she had developed an eye infection but after numerous efforts at trying to treat the illness with antibiotics it became clear that the problem was much more challenging.

It now looks like Victoria will need a cornea transplant (possibly on both eyes) which is a very serious operation.

Last weekend I visited an eye specialist to get his opinion on what was involved, why a cornea transplant would be recommended and what the costs might be?

Before I head back to Ireland, he will assess Victoria for free and will give me an update on his findings.

The likely cost of the operation is between 5K and 10K. Given my precarious career situation right now I do not have this cash (but can contribute a couple of hundred euros).

If you read this far and fancy helping out drop me a note. I know its difficult times for everyone but a little from a lot will make the operation possible.