When His Sight Began to Fade
Akakpo Selom’s vision problems began when he was still a student.
He remembers sitting in the front of the classroom, trying to see the blackboard—but even from there, it wasn’t clear. Eventually, he had to leave school earlier than he wanted.
Later, he became a teacher. But the problem never went away. He said he could only recognize someone’s face if they were standing about two meters away. At night, he could barely see anything.
For years, he tried to manage it. He spent money on eye drops and glasses, but nothing helped.
Losing His Independence
After retiring, he continued farming as best as he could. It was how he fed himself.
But as his vision got worse, even that became difficult. He eventually had to stop going to his fields. He also gave up riding his motorcycle—his only way to move around.
He shared that the hardest part was needing help for almost everything.
A former teacher, now depending on others for daily life.
Coming for Surgery in His Village
When Akakpo heard on the local radio that Sight.org’s team was coming to his village in Tohoun-Moyen Mono, he decided to come.
At the outreach, he was examined and diagnosed with cataracts in both eyes. He was told surgery could restore his sight.
The procedure was done there, close to his home. He said it was quick and that he felt almost no pain.
Seeing Clearly Again
When the bandages were removed, he could see clearly again—for the first time in 20 years.
He said it felt like seeing “like a newborn baby.”
Now, he’s back in his fields. He walks there on his own and works without difficulty. He’s riding his motorcycle again and moving freely around his village. He can recognize people from a distance.
Because of you, he can see again. Thank you for standing with him.