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| Watch the moment a blind 69-year-old man sees his grandson for the first time | Watch the moment a blind 69-year-old man sees his grandson for the first time |
| (7 days later) | |
| A man who has been completely blind for two years had his bandages removed yesterday allowing him to see his 18-month-old grandson for the first time. | A man who has been completely blind for two years had his bandages removed yesterday allowing him to see his 18-month-old grandson for the first time. |
| In the video Winesi March, a 69-year-old farmer from a remote village in Malawi, has his bandages removed after undergoing surgery to fix his cataracts - a condition which although simple can have a devastating effect on individuals in rural developing communities. | In the video Winesi March, a 69-year-old farmer from a remote village in Malawi, has his bandages removed after undergoing surgery to fix his cataracts - a condition which although simple can have a devastating effect on individuals in rural developing communities. |
| Seeing for the first time in two years Mr March exclaims: "I can see you!" Around him his family burst into applause, before jumping up to sing and dance. | Seeing for the first time in two years Mr March exclaims: "I can see you!" Around him his family burst into applause, before jumping up to sing and dance. |
| "Now I can see I can go back to my business," he said. "I want to get back to work on my farm and start cooking again and doing everything. When I saw my wife today I thought to myself. I am meeting her twice. I am born again. I never imagined how Luka [his grandson] would look." | "Now I can see I can go back to my business," he said. "I want to get back to work on my farm and start cooking again and doing everything. When I saw my wife today I thought to myself. I am meeting her twice. I am born again. I never imagined how Luka [his grandson] would look." |
| The original video was originally intended to be livestreamed but a powercut at the hospital prevented footage being shown live. | The original video was originally intended to be livestreamed but a powercut at the hospital prevented footage being shown live. |
| "I am very happy, I feel humbled," said Mr March's wife Namaleta. "I never ever dreamt of this happening to our family. There wasn’t much information in our area about eye care." | "I am very happy, I feel humbled," said Mr March's wife Namaleta. "I never ever dreamt of this happening to our family. There wasn’t much information in our area about eye care." |
| Speaking before the operation, Mr March described how he slowly lost the ability to work and socialise. “I am always here, and sometimes I can hear people laughing across the other side of the river. I feel like ‘Let me go and see them, let me go and join them’, but I fail to do that because of this situation.” | Speaking before the operation, Mr March described how he slowly lost the ability to work and socialise. “I am always here, and sometimes I can hear people laughing across the other side of the river. I feel like ‘Let me go and see them, let me go and join them’, but I fail to do that because of this situation.” |
| Winesi sees his grandson Luka for the first time (Rachel Palmer/Fieldcraft Studios/Sightsavers) | |
| His disability has had wider consequences than his inability to work. “I am scared of being attacked and there not being anyone to protect me. I feel like I’m not safe,” he said. | His disability has had wider consequences than his inability to work. “I am scared of being attacked and there not being anyone to protect me. I feel like I’m not safe,” he said. |
| But there is hope on the horizon. After the operation Mr March said: "I know how to dance and I will dance on that day. I will dance a lot. I will do everything possible to look for money and buy my wife a dress. I’ll go for a white dress, meaning that my heart is white, I am happy." | But there is hope on the horizon. After the operation Mr March said: "I know how to dance and I will dance on that day. I will dance a lot. I will do everything possible to look for money and buy my wife a dress. I’ll go for a white dress, meaning that my heart is white, I am happy." |
| Mr March's wife Namaleta said: "I relied on him so much, to provide for the family, but now he can’t do anything. I have to do everything – finding food, making sure the children go to school. It’s painful having to do both roles. I would be so excited and so relieved to get back to normal life." | Mr March's wife Namaleta said: "I relied on him so much, to provide for the family, but now he can’t do anything. I have to do everything – finding food, making sure the children go to school. It’s painful having to do both roles. I would be so excited and so relieved to get back to normal life." |
| Winesi has his eyes cleaned after the operation (Rachel Palmer/Fieldcraft Studios/Sightsavers) Globally, 20 million people, most of who live in developing countries, are living with cataract, a condition that causes sight to become blurred and gradually lost completely. However, cataracts are treatable with a simple operation that takes less than half an hour, and only costs £30. | |
| A Million Miracles is an initiative run by international organisation Sightsavers, who campaign and act to prevent blindness across the globe. | A Million Miracles is an initiative run by international organisation Sightsavers, who campaign and act to prevent blindness across the globe. |