Rwanda in Sight - with TV3

Sinead Desmond, presenter of breakfast show 'Ireland AM' on TV3, travelled to Rwanda recently to visit the projects supported and run by cbm. These projects were even running during the genocide years ago.

One of the projects Sinead visited was a hospital in Gatagara, where baby Jean had an eye operation (as seen on series), a project which worked through the troubles of Rwanda years ago.

Two main stories emerge from the series, one of the baby Jean, and another of an elderly man named Fidel; too old to make his own way to hospital, and unable to provide for himself being blind. The cbm team, with Sinead bring him in for treatment and his life is changed forever.

After the operation for little Jean, Sinead remarked "He was grabbing his doting mum's hair and playing , he had a whole new life - a whole new world to explore."

Update: Baby Jean has now had his second Cataract operation and has full sight restored. He is now home with his mother and both are very happy and grateful to donors in Ireland who made it happen for them.

Cataract is the leading cause of blindness in the world affecting around 17 million people. However, they could be cured through a simple 15 minute operation that costs cbm just €30 for a young person or adult. For a child it's more expensive, €120 because of the general anaesthetic, different surgical techniques and sophisticated equipment that is needed to treat their delicate eyes.

Please click here if you would like to make a contribution towards the work of CBM.