Case s tory Gemie Geze with her smile face

W/ro Gemie Geze is 45 years old who lives at Alla village , Eli Doze Kebele in Daramalo woreda, Gamo

Gofa zone in the southern part of Ethiopia. . She is married and a mother of seven children (three sons

and four daughters). She lives 18kms away south of away Wacha , Deramalo woreda town and about

90kms away from Sawla hospital. W/ro Gemie`s home is found near to the top of the second highest

mountain in the country and the road to to Wacha is handmade and not accessible (hard to reach) to

any kind of vehicles.

The house is traditional built hut with a single door and not ventilated. Though she has separate

kitchen for food preparation, domestic animals share he bed room and traditional pit latrine

without superstructure and is used dispose wastes coming out of the house in the open field.

She uses traditionally protected spring water for drinking and food preparation

For many years she used t to generate income and support her family by baking and saleing in

the market. The mother of seven and the supporter of the family was lost her sight for cataract

in2010 and unable to attend social activities like funeral ceremony, wedding and etc. and totally

became dependent on her family.

As her husband was not around, she was sole provider and care giver of her family before she

became a triple victim of Trichiasis, land slide and cataract. She said, “I was one of the victims of

land sliding in my Kebele that happened in March, 2010 where I lost all my properties, however,

the r government Ethiopia supported me financially”. “I hoped that I would regain my sight

The hut of W/ro Gemie close to the second highest mountain

when was operated for trichiasis and when I realized I was unable to see still, all my hopes went

away”

In November 2012, however, she went to Sawla hospital, one ORBIS established SECU

accompanied by her son after she was informed by W/ro Ayelech. Health Extension Worker

(HEW) and Woreda Primary Eye Care (PEC) focal person and an Integrated Eye Care Worker

(IECW) about the presence of cataract surgery service, and the cost she would be requested to

pay and the availability of transport support to and from hospital.

After having a successful cataract surgery, she was able to regain his sight and immediately saw

her hands and legs. “’She said, next to God, thanks to ORBIS, and the government who gave

my sight back Now, I would be participated in all social activities”.

She was thanking all who gave handout in her sight restoration in using traditional musical instrument despite it is prohibited by her religion

After surgery

She came back to hospital for follow up. As per her word w/ro Gemie recruited about seven

cataract cases. She also promised to teach everybody at all community gathering sites. Now , the

flow cataract patients has been increasing from her and nearby Kebeles

Words she uses to teach and mobilize community

“She said, People who saw restored my sight came from different nearby Kebeles to ask me

while I was thanking God, doctor and ORBIS.

While I was eating my food, I ate soil with Injera instead of spice but now, thanks to God,

government and ORBIS I managed to see

I can now teach people can learn from me.

I cannot retreat from teaching no one can prevent me from teaching.

The doctor restored my sight for she is educated

I was mopping the same floor repeatedly and now everything became history

Though I am follower of Protestant religion, I will continue singing to thank all her relatives and

other who helped her restored her sight”

Now, she returned to her duty. She was at farming field taking care of gardens

Picturing showing pre , inta and post operation activities of Gemie