“I will lead the blind by ways they have not known... I will turn the darkness into light before them.” – Isaiah 42:16
Together, we can help restore sight, dignity, independence, and hope for children and adults with avoidable blindness in Papua New Guinea.
All it takes is $35 and a 12-minute operation to give the miracle of sight, so people with blinding cataracts can live their life to the full.
You don’t have to wait until Miracles Day to change a life. Give the Miracle of Sight today, then join us on 24 September as we come together to celebrate the incredible difference your generosity is making.
One ordinary Saturday morning, everything changed for Gepeso.
The grandmother from a remote village in Papua New Guinea was leaving for church when she suddenly realised she could no longer see the road before her. A young boy gently took her hand and guided her safely to church, marking the beginning of a frightening new reality.
Within weeks, cataracts had stolen her independence.
“I could not cook on my own,” Gepeso recalls. “I could not go to the garden. I could not go to the toilet on my own.”
For someone who had spent a lifetime caring for others, relying on her family for even the simplest tasks was heartbreaking. Her once-thriving garden became overgrown as she remained inside, unable to tend it.
Living in a remote community meant specialist eye care was far away, but through cbm's local partner, Gepeso was finally able to travel to Goroka Eye Hospital for sight-saving cataract surgery.
Just 12 minutes later, everything changed.
“My eyes are now open,” she said with joy. “Before, I was in the dark, and after the eye operation, I can see clearly.”
With her sight restored came something equally precious – her independence.
“Now I can help myself. I can go to the toilet myself. I can go to the garden, and market, and do everything by myself.”
Today, Gepeso is once again caring for herself, tending her garden, and enjoying the freedom that restored sight has brought. Her story is a powerful reminder that access to quality eye care can transform lives – restoring not only vision, but dignity, independence and hope.
Thanks to our Government’s Aotearoa New Zealand International Development Cooperation Programme, every dollar you give will be multiplied five times – helping many more children and adults experience the joy of seeing clearly again.
Your gift today will help:
Thank you for your kindness!
