Stories From the Field
Subas Maya Rai - Nepal

Subas Maya Rai lives with her husband on a small farm in a remote area of Nepal. Some years ago, she became blind from cataract in both eyes. Unable to see, she relied on her husband to care for her, as well as the family’s buffalo, chickens, goats, and pigs, which provided their income.

Living in darkness, Subas Maya Rai had no one to help her when her husband was away, and she felt vulnerable and isolated. On many occasions, she and her husband discussed having her eyes checked by health workers, but they were intimidated by the long journey to the nearest hospital. Finally, after two years of suffering, Subas Maya Rai and her husband made the four-day journey by foot to an eye camp, where she received the treatment she needed.  

In December, Subas Maya Rai’s husband received news of an upcoming Seva sponsored eye camp. Knowing it might be the only opportunity to get his wife help, he asked a neighbor to look after the animals and prepared for the trek. After four days of walking, they reached the eye camp. Upon arrival, Subas Maya Rai was examined by Seva-trained medical staff, who determined that she was completely blind. She had mature cataracts in both eyes.

The on-site surgeons explained the simple procedure to remove the cataracts, and she and her husband were overjoyed to learn that she would be able to see again. Shortly thereafter, they operated on her right eye. On the following day, they operated on her left eye. A few days later her bandages were removed and Subas Maya Rai could see!

Sharing her joy with the staff, she explained how, before surgery, she had lost all hope. In her words, she was “waiting for death to take her.” With her sight restored, however, she exclaimed, “I have new life. You are like gods!”  

Her husband was equally excited as he explained how they will once again be able to share a life together and do the things they did before Subas Maya Rai’s blindness.