An Elderly Woman Fighting Age, Poverty, and Blindness

Momtaj Begum, an 80 year-old widow, lives in a small home with her elder son, daughter-in-law, and four grandchildren in Brahmanbaria. Her life has never been easy. Poverty, aging, and frailty shape her everyday struggle. Her son earns very little, yet he supports not only his mother but also his wife and four children, three of whom attend school, while the eldest searches desperately for work.

With age, Momtaj Begum’s eyesight began deteriorating drastically. A mature cataract clouded her right eye, reducing her vision to Finger Count at 1 meter. Even simple tasks—walking, eating, recognizing family members—became difficult and unsafe. She often stumbled, felt disoriented, and avoided going outside.

Momtaj quietly shared that, “Chokh na thakte bachi ki kore? Chola-phera o kosto. Shob kichu andhokar hoye jacchilo.” (“How do I live without sight? Even moving around was painful. Everything was turning into darkness.”)

Her family worried constantly. They wanted to help, but medical costs were simply beyond their reach.

Mazharul Haque BNSB Eye Hospital organized a Comprehensive Screening Eye Camp supported by ANDHERI HILFE e.V, Bonn, Germany and Salubritas Stiftung, a German Foundation. When Momtaj was brought to the camp by her son, the medical team immediately realized the urgency of her condition.

Senior Medical Officer Dr. Md. Tawhidul Islam Anik examined her and confirmed a mature cataract in her right eye, requiring immediate surgical intervention.

Dr. Anik commented as “Her vision was critically low. Without timely surgery, she would soon lose useful vision altogether. She needed urgent support.”

 The camp team counseled her and assured the family that the surgery, investigations, transport, and medicines would be completely free, thanks to the donor support. For a family surviving on minimal income, this was a life-changing blessing.