20 minutes' walk till the eye camp, and 45 kms away till the eye hospital.

Could a 74-year-old woman make it?
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For someone who had thought she had gone permanently blind, Sabra Khatun, from one of the most impoverished villages in remote Bihar, was surprised when she made her first journey till the eye camp, organized by the local politician and grass-roots social worker Jeetendra Kumar.

“Maaji, you can get your eyesight back. It’s just a matter of a small operation.”

Sabra Khatun walked back the dirt road to her little bamboo hut, led by her grand-daughter Neeta, all the while thinking whether this was even worth it.

Neeta coaxed her to go for it.
“Daadi, think about it! You can do your gardening again!”

Her whole family of sons, daughters-in-law, grandchildren, and her husband rallied behind her.

“Daadi, you can stitch me a frock again.”

“Maa, you can cook my favorite litti-chokha.”

The distance to be covered was 45 kms, and 3 days away from her family.

But the longer distance was to overcome her fear.

Soon, Sabra Khatun was picked up and transported to the Akhand Jyoti Eye Hospital for her surgery.
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And 3 days later, Sabra Khatun had her vision, and life back!

As the optometrist at the next checkup asked, “Maaji, dekh saktey ho?” Sabra Khatun shyly replied, “Sab kuch!”