By Fauzia Aziz | Project Leader
Fatima came home from school happy that day. She quickly finished her lunch, completed her homework and went out to play. But this day she was not to return home tired and content after playing with her siblings and friends from the neighborhood. This day was different…
A student of KG 2, hair up in a pony tail and outwardly shy in her demeanor, she has a smile that lights up the room. She is the youngest of four siblings. Unfortunately for them, her father lost his job a couple of months ago due to illness. They live with her uncle who is married and has five children of his own. He has given them a roof over their heads and manages the house expenses. The family together manages with their meager income and they contribute whatever little they can.
They struggle but are content and that’s visible from the peace on their faces. Fatima their youngest is a joy for her parents, with her ready smile she makes friends easily. Every day after coming back from school she has her lunch, does her homework and goes out to play. Today was no different; she stepped out to play, but in no time at all her play ended abruptly when one of the children that Fatima had been playing with, accidently poked her in the eye with a sharp object. Upon hearing Fatima’s cry for help, Shamsa immediately alerted her husband and they rushed Fatima to a nearby neighborhood clinic. She was given first aid and the doctor advised Fatima’s parents to keenly observe her for the next few days and to go to an Ophthalmologist immediately at the first sign of white spots in her eye or if she complained of poor vision.
Not able to sleep or eat and sick with worry, Shama watched Fatima like a hawk. Initially Fatima’s eye appeared to be healing but a couple of weeks later Shamsa noticed that Fatima did not focus on objects like other children did and a white spot had started to show. Shamsa knew that there might have to be a surgery and asked her husband to take a loan from relatives so that they could show her to a good Ophthalmologist. Despite their best efforts they were able to raise only Rs. 15,000. Shamsa feared that if they delayed taking Fatima for treatment, her eye might worsen.
Fatima’s uncle while watching the news had seen a clip of a young girl, Fatima’s age who could not see and she was saving money for her surgery but she was taken to an eye hospital that treated the poor for free. He recalled the name and asked his friends about it, he was told its LRBT hospital in Korangi.
He told his brother and together they took Fatima for a checkup. Fatima was examined thoroughly in the Pediatric department and her left eye was operated upon. Her follow up visit showed the surgery was successful. Shamsa who for some time had feared that her daughter had lost her future with the accident heard the sweetest words possible, “Fatima can see clearly again, you have nothing to worry about.”
Fatima is back to her usual routine just more careful this time while playing.
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