Organisation: Sightsavers
Location: Zimbabwe
Photographer: Cynthia Matonhodze

Twinde's pain has stopped and his school performance has improved after an operation on a traumatic cataract.

Sightsavers first met Twinde in early 2023 when he had an operation on a traumatic cataract. Now 11, his eye is fully recovered and his sight restored.  
Before his surgery, he would return from herding his family’s goats and cattle with pain in his eye, which would only go away after taking a nap. He also used to get distressed thinking about how his parents would afford his operation.  
His mother Cecilia was really worried about her son - Twinde was in a lot of pain, suffered from chronic headaches, and was unable to do simple household chores. 
Since his operation and the restoration of his sight, Twinde says he can “see properly from all angles with both eyes”. It has also made life easier in school, with teachers reporting that his performance has improved: “[before the operation] I could struggle to read words with the injured eye but now I can see and read words without difficulty”.