Cataracts in Africa Affects People of All Ages
Cataracts in Africa affect people of all ages, including thousands of children, due to environmental factors like sunlight and dust. Embrace Relief provides critical mobile health clinics and surgeries in Mali to restore sight and independence.
The useful part before the long read.
Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness in Africa, affecting not just the elderly but also children and young adults.
Environmental factors in Mali, such as prolonged sunlight exposure, sandstorms, and malnutrition, accelerate the disease.
Embrace Relief has performed nearly 60,000 health checkups and 3,700 cataract surgeries since 2013.
A $120 donation funds one cataract surgery and 15 health checkups for remote communities in Mali.
What is a Cataract?
Mariam Togola, 9 years old
“Two years ago, I began to have blurry vision in my right eye, and it was getting worse every day. I was told that I had cataracts and that if I did not get surgery, I would eventually go blind. This terrified me. I didn’t want to not be able to play, see my friends or family, or live in darkness. Thank you Embrace Relief, I can clearly see the faces of my mom, dad, and little sister again.”
Kaditou Toure, 39 years old
“For years, I was not able to walk on my own, wash myself, or see the faces of my husband and child. Now, I have regained my independence and reclaimed my life! Thank you for showing me kindness. I can now see the beautiful world again and all of its colors.”
Abdoulaye Traore, 14 years old
“I remember I began to lose my peripheral vision in my left eye and things got really dark and blurry. Not long after, I could only see shadows and my right eye was starting to hurt from straining it from so much use. I was so happy when I saw the Mobile Health Clinic because I knew they would help me! I can’t wait to see the world with both eyes again. Thank you.”
Eye cataracts don’t only affect people 80 years old and older. Due to the living conditions in areas of Africa, including Mali, people of all ages suffer from the debilitating disease and require cataract surgery. Thankfully, it’s an easy, painless, and short 10 minute procedure, and life is forever changed for the better after receiving the surgery.
How You Can Help
Since 2013, our volunteer doctors have performed nearly 60,000 health checkups and 3,700 cataract surgeries with our Mobile Health Clinic, which visits remote areas of Mali lacking basic healthcare service. We also operate the Mali Medical Center, which provides medical equipment to the Clinic Gaoussou Fofana and Clinic Planet Vision in the capital city of Bamako, Mali. With your $120 donation, we perform one cataract surgery and 15 health checkups. So, by donating today, you will give back the gifts of sight and health to thousands more people in Mali—of all ages—so they can live long, fulfilling lives and contribute to their communities.