Restore sight for 1,500 women in Pakistan.

28 years old Bashiran bibi, looks older than her years; the lost look on her face speaks volumes about the difficult life she has lead. Having been married off at a young age, she never got a chance to complete her education. Soon after she was expecting her first child and then her three other children were born. Her husband works as a car mechanic and earns only Rs. 8000/- a month, which barely covers their rent, living expenses and children school fees. Bashiran bibi desperate to help contribute to the family income learned stitching from a neighbor and had recently started sewing clothes for women.

Even though that only brought in a meager amount yet she hoped to learn embroidery in the future as that was more in demand and fetched a higher sum. Just as things were starting to look up for Bashiran and her family, she started to experience blurred vision; worried she immediately went to a local clinic for check up and was advised glasses.

Her vision improved for a while and thinking that this was the end to her eye ailment she went back to stitching. But her respite was short lived as after a couple of weeks, she felt that she could not see as clearly as before and felt pressure on her left eye when concentrating. Her two younger children were sick with chicken pox at that time so she ignored the discomfort in her eye and tended to her children and home.

Unfortunately four months ago, she was almost unable to see at all from her left eye. She again rushed to the local private clinic but this time the news was much worse. She had developed a cataract and would need surgery. Bashiran was beside herself with worry; she knew their financial condition would not allow her to get treatment. She was more scared for her children –what would happen to them should she go completely blind, with her youngest son barely a year old and completely dependent on her for his every need.

She rushed home and told her husband, he tried his best to secure a loan for her treatment but his relatives were in as dire straits as them financially and his boss had already lent him money a couple of months ago when their house had needed repairs. With no one left to turn to, both husband and wife resigned themselves to the fact that she may never get her sight back.

Fortunately for Bashiran her husband's cousin came to visit them and after learning of Bashiran's plight she advised her to go to LRBT Pasrur, where someone from her inlaws had an eye surgery completely free of cost. Too scared to hope that such a thing was possible, Bashiran went the next day accompanied by her sister in law. Upon reaching LRBT Pasrur she was fully examined and advised surgery for cataract.

She was operated upon and her surgery was successful. Bashiran bibi has returned home to her children and is looking forward to supporting her family once again. Her children couldn’t be happier to see their mother well with her sight restored.  

• Bashiran_Pics.docx (DOCX)