- Stories
A Mother's Journey from Darkness to Hope
At just 21 years old, Dzame Ruwa, a mother of two from Majoreni, Lungalunga Sub-County in Kwale County, has faced unimaginable hardship. Married at 15 after dropping out of school, she once worked alongside her husband on their small farm and took on various odd jobs to support their family. Life, though challenging, held a semblance of normalcy.
Then, tragedy struck. Dzame’s husband passed away, and just two months later, her world began to blur. Over the course of two years, her vision steadily deteriorated, plunging her into complete darkness. “Things were at their worst,” she recalls. Unable to manage herself or her young children, and with life at her matrimonial home becoming unbearable, she reached out to her mother for help.
Her mother, desperate to find a cure, took Dzame to numerous traditional healers, but nothing worked. Frustration mounted as Dzame, a widow and mother herself, remained blind.
Hope finally arrived through an unexpected source. Dzame’s mother, while seeking medical attention at Kidimu dispensary, learned about an upcoming eye screening outreach through posters displayed in the area. She immediately shared the news with Dzame.
Accompanied by her mother, Dzame attended the screening. The examination revealed bilateral cataracts, a condition that had stolen her sight. After years of fruitless searches for a cure, Dzame readily accepted the recommendation for surgery.
The operation was a success. Dzame could see again.
With her vision restored, Dzame is filled with a renewed sense of purpose. She can now help her mother with farm work and, crucially, independently care for her children as their sole parent. She’s particularly grateful that what her family had previously doubted—conventional medicine—was ultimately what gave her back her sight. “For her, the future is bright if you have vision,” the text states, capturing her profound realization.
Dzame’s life has been completely transformed. She now passionately advocates for others with eye problems to seek help at health facilities rather than from traditional healers or magicians. As a happy mother with restored vision, she simply says, “Thank you, Right to Sight.”
