Relief operation in Southern Sudan – Martha's journey into the light

Martha, 35, receiving an ophthalmic examination

Sudan is the largest of all African countries. Providing medical care for the population constitutes a serious challenge in such a vast country. For many people the nearest doctor simply is too far away: For example, in Southern Sudan there is not a single resident ophthalmologist.

For this reason LIGHT FOR THE WORLD since 2006 supports the ophthalmic ward at the hospital of Mapurdit, therewith for the first time building up continuous ophthalmic care for the 1.8 million inhabitants of this region. In order to provide care also in remote areas, regular relief flights are organised. That way, countless ophthalmically challenged and blind persons get access to what is their only chance of help. Martha Adunt is one of them:

Martha’s journey into the light
35-year-old Martha Adunt lives in Southern Sudan. She is a widow and has no children, and most of her relatives have passed away already. Only her mother is still alive. Martha affectionately cares for the old woman. But then, over the course of three years, Martha finds herself increasingly in need of help just as well: her eyesight is getting progressively worse, finally she is left blind. As she and her mother have no-one else to turn to, the two women are left to their own devices. The future looks gloomy. One day Martha hears about a LIGHT FOR THE WORLD relief flight to Padak, a town that can be reached by foot in a few hours from where she lives. On a cane Martha is guided there, in the hope of receiving medical assistance. After the examination by an ophthalmologist she gets to hear a diagnosis that raises her hopes: she suffers from cataracts, her eyesight can be restored! After only a 15-minute operation she is able to see again.

The day after the surgery Martha amazedly opens her eyes. The elation she feels is clearly visible in her face. “From now on I can move around on my own again! In two or three days I will be able to do everything independently again, I will be able to look after myself and my mother again,” she rejoices. Martha is overjoyed. When she meets her neighbour Lou on her journey back home, she joyfully flings her arms around her neck and tells her about her recovery.

The cane on which Martha had to be guided for months is now obsolete. It has many stories to tell.

A commonplace image in African daily life: a blind person, guided on a cane by a family member.

The talking cane : blind persons regain their eyesight
Losing one’s eyesight in Africa usually also entails losing the ability to lead an independent life. Adults become unable to earn their and their family’s livelihood; children lose contact to those of the same age, and that in addition to losing access to education and a future. The exhibition “the talking cane” presents the cane - often a symbol of blindness – in a completely new context: here it stands to symbolize regained independence.

Together with life-sized photo, an original interview and a series of 23 pictures and information plates the canes tell the stories of people in Burkina Faso and Southern Sudan: The stories of Martha, Lognoaga and Alier, who have regained their eyesight after having received cataract surgery and now do not need their canes anymore.

Come and see the „talking cane“ at the Volkshochschulen (VHS, Adult Education Centres) in Vienna:
Between 12th January and 13th February at the VHS Brigittenau (Raffaelgasse 11/13, 1200 Vienna) and between 18th February and 27th March at the VHS Meidling (Längenfeldgasse 13-15, 1120 Vienna).
For further information contact LIGHT FOR THE WORLD at +43/1/810 13 00.