A Childhood Brought Back to Light: Safina’s Story of Hope

On the outskirts of Karachi, nine-year-old Safina once navigated her small home in near darkness.

The eldest of five siblings in a Baloch family originally from Jacobabad, Balochistan, Safina carried responsibilities far beyond her years. While her father worked long, exhausting days as a daily-wage construction laborer and her mother cleaned homes in a nearby affluent neighborhood, Safina stayed behind to care for her four younger siblings.

But even the simplest tasks were becoming impossible.

Born with congenital cataracts, Safina’s vision had been clouded since infancy. As she grew older, her world grew dimmer. She struggled to recognize faces, stumbled while walking, and found it increasingly difficult to help at home. Misunderstood and unable to explain her condition, she was sometimes scolded for being slow or inattentive.

“I am not lazy,” she later confided through tears. “I just cannot see properly.”

A Family's Silent Struggle

Safina’s father knew something was wrong but felt powerless. With his irregular income barely covering daily meals and rent, medical treatment was simply out of reach.

It was Safina’s paternal grandmother who refused to let the matter rest. Deeply attached to her granddaughter, she listened carefully when Safina finally broke down during a visit and shared her pain. That same evening, she spoke to Safina’s father. Though heartbroken, he admitted that seeking treatment was financially impossible.

Determined that Safina should not lose her childhood to preventable blindness, her grandmother brought her to LRBT Korangi.

Sight Restored, Childhood Reclaimed

At LRBT, Safina received timely cataract treatment — completely free of cost.

The transformation was life-changing.

Today, Safina moves confidently around her home. She helps her mother with chores, attends school with excitement, and plays freely with her siblings. She can now recognize her grandmother’s loving smile — something she had only seen as a blur before.

For Safina, restored sight means more than clearer vision. It means independence. Education. Dignity. A future.

You Can Restore The Next Childhood

Safina’s story is just one among millions. As LRBT celebrates serving its 61 millionth patient, the need remains immense. Across Pakistan, thousands of children and adults continue to live in darkness simply because they cannot afford treatment.

For families like Safina’s, even basic medical care is an impossible expense. But for a donor, it is a gift that can transform a life forever.

Your support can:

• Fund sight-saving surgeries

• Provide free consultations and medicines

• Ensure that no child is denied treatment because of poverty

When you donate to LRBT, you are not just funding a procedure — you are restoring childhoods, rebuilding futures, and giving families hope.