Ms. Nanyombi Dorothy is the mother of three-year-old Fida Birungi, a beneficiary of the Comprehensive and Inclusive Disability Prevention (CIDP) Project. Fida lives with her mother in Wabinyonyi, Nakasongola district alongside three of her siblings.
Ms. Nanyombi and her husband, Mr. Abubakar Bugabi Samuel sustain their household through farming and gold mining. A living which wouldn’t have been able to support baby Fida in regaining her eyesight.
Right from birth, baby Fida had a challenge with vision, but her parents didn’t notice. They recall Fida feeling a lot of itchy discomfort in her eyes. When they could jingle a set of toys in front of Baby Fida’s eyesight to test her eye-following ability, Baby Fida couldn’t follow or even merely blink as any other baby would.
As baby Fida grew up into a toddler attempting to crawl and walk, she was always stumbling. Until a few well-wishers around Ms. Nanyombi asked her to seek medical attention for baby Fida’s eyes. On check-up, it was medically confirmed that baby Fida had no sight.
In desperate need to save baby Fida’s eyesight, Ms. Nanyombi took up all sorts of advice and treatment from both well-wishers and health workers, but all was in vain.
“I was given medication and herbs with the promise that it would heal Fida’s eyes. I was advised to give her more breast milk, but Fida remained blind in the end,” Ms. Nanyombi said.
After all these unsuccessful procedures, the distressed mother visited Kasana Health Center IV to have Fida’s eyes medically checked. They referred her to Mengo Hospital for Fida’s eyes to go through surgery but Ms. Nanyombi couldn’t afford the transport and medical expenses involved.
Not so long after, Ms. Nanyombi received a call from her friend whose child is disabled and is being supported by the CIDP project. The call brought back hope for baby Fida’s sight.
“This friend of mine convinced me that the CIDP project would be able to support my Fida in regaining her vision,” she continued, “…and it is true the project actually supported me. I didn’t have to use my own money in any of the medical procedures needed for Fida to regain her eyesight,” she said.
The Comprehensive and Inclusive Disability Prevention Project supported Ms. Nanyombi in traveling to the eye clinic in Mengo Hospital. Fida was taken through medical procedures including surgery and in no time, Fida could see again!
As Ms. Nanyombi recalled the support she was given, her face lit up with so much joy. She said, “If it wasn’t for this project, my child would have remained blind. I don’t know what I can give you. I am now at peace.”
Fida’s eyes which totally had no vision previously, are now able to see normally. She is able to walk very well and independently without stumbling into anything. Ms. Nanyombi praises the CIDP for putting her heart at peace once Fida’s eyes were treated.