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Santino Malang of the CES eye team, assesses Aguek's eyes
Jacklina stands by the older lady like a bodyguard. Dutiful and committed, she whispers gently and takes her mother by the elbow to guide her around. Jacklina’s eyes dart back and forth the older lady’s face, keen to register any reactions and possible discomfort; a daughter’s love for her mother. Her widowed mother, Aguek Nyuol, has been blind for two years, and Jacklina has had to feed, clothe and bathe her. Being thrust into heading and providing for her family has been extremely hard for the 20-year-old.
Jacklina works as a school cook to support her mother, her 15-year-old brother and 8-year-old sister. She abandoned school when her mum became visually impaired. “I don’t know what I would have done without Jacklina, she is the only one earning a living and taking care of us. She is an amazing daughter; my family would be lost without her,” Aguek says.
The two endured two grueling days of travel from Turalei – near the infamous and contentious Abyei region of South Sudan – in order to reach Rumbek State Hospital, where they hoped the miracle of sight would re-alter their lives. Aguek hopes the trip to Rumbek would help switch the light in her life back on so she can look at the faces of her children again. She wants to work and provide for her family, and release Jacklina from her burden.
Jacklina with her mother, Aguek
At Rumbek Lake State Hospital, Aguek meets a friendly and affable eye surgeon, Santino Malang, a CMA trained ophthalmic surgeon. After a thorough examination, he gives a heartwarming verdict: “Her case is simple and straight forward; it should be an easy eye operation. All I need to do is replace her old lens with a new artificial one. That should return light back into her eye!”
Sure enough, 24 hours later when the bandage is removed, a smile spread across the face of the Sudanese lady, her left eye alight with life. Santino puts one finger, and then two, in front of her eye, from different distances, and her answer is swift and accurate.
“I am so thankful I can see with my left eye! Now I can go back to helping my family! Jacklina does not have to do everything by herself! I will go back to my farm and plant maize and sorghum again!” With a smile, Santino reminds her to come back for a follow up visit to make sure her recovery is steady. “When your left eye is healed, we can operate on your right eye!” he adds cheerfully. “Yes, we will come back”, Jacklina says with a smile, “the long trip will be worth it!”
Santino with Aguek after the surgery