Organisation: Fundación Vision
Location: Paraguay
Photographer: Marcos Mena

Each patient who regains sight is a source of joy and a reminder of her mission: restoring dignity, hope, and opportunity through vision.

Paraguay, known as the heart of South America, is home to about 6,417,076 inhabitants. Despite progress, not everyone can access health services when needed. In eye health, the gap is striking: an estimated 20,000 people in the country are blind due to cataracts, a condition that could be prevented or treated. In this context, Aleydis Vera, Head of Community Health at Fundación Visión, leads a mobile clinic that travels to the most remote areas of Paraguay. Together with her team, she brings ophthalmological consultations, screenings, and referrals, so people do not have to travel to the capital. From Asunción, she coordinates operations aimed at detecting cataract blindness in rural and vulnerable populations, organizing surgical days within the communities themselves, and ensuring that treatment is not hindered by economic or geographic barriers.

These initiatives are possible thanks to collaboration with local, national, and international partners, who support surgical campaigns and sustained logistics with a focus on equity. For over 18 years, Aleydis has dedicated her life to providing visual health to underserved communities.