“Fourteen years ago, I was preparing hot peppers in the kitchen,” says Engocha. “My eyes started to hurt. And then I went blind.” Engocha did not have an eye doctor and so the reason for her blindness remains unclear. She has been blind since she was 7 years old.

Thankfully, Hope and Healing International was there to help.

Engocha lives with her sister and six-year-old nephew in a small Ethiopian village. Before she went blind, she worked as a day labourer for a local construction company. Life was good. She earned about 1 birr and 50 cents a day, about 15 cents in today’s currency. Her wages were low, but they made a significant difference to her household’s income. After she went blind, she was no longer able to work. “I cried,” says Engocha.

Since their parents died, Engocha’s sister Alem is the sole breadwinner for the family. Alem sells roasted peas and grains in different locations.

Engocha’s dream has always been to attend school. “I only wanted an education — nothing else.” She saw it as a new beginning through which she could ultimately help her family.

Enter Hope and Healing and its Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) program. For the past six months, Zinabu, a worker with Hope and Healing International has been visiting and working with Engocha to improve her life. Engocha has learned to use a white cane to move around her home and community safely, and she’s learned to read and write braille. She’s now able to attend school again. The CBR program even gave Engocha a school kit, including a braille stylus and slate.