The day in November started like any other day for ten year old Kefas Sangangala, it was however, the day a tragic set of circumstances would leave him badly injured and completely blind. That fateful day set the beginning of an epic journey from his home in rural Angola to Kitwe, Zambia to meet ORBIS trained paediatric ophthalmologist, Dr Chileshe Mboni in the hope that at least his sight could be restored.

Kefas accidentally triggered a landmine - a relic from Angola's bloody civil war - hidden in the ground that was now his family’s backyard. The blast left Kefas with injuries to his left arm, and to his face, where shrapnel severely damaged his eyes, leaving him completely blind.

His father rushed him to a nearby mission hospital, where his arm had to be amputated and his wounds treated, but his sight couldn’t be saved there. However, a doctor told them about a good paediatric ophthalmologist practicing out in Kitwe Central Hospital in Zambia.

Kefas arrived at Kitwe Central Hospital and Dr Mboni examined him. He realised that, although it would be impossible to save his right eye, there was a chance that if he could remove the traumatic cataract that had formed in his left eye, some degree of vision could be restored.

The operation was successful and Kefas could see again.

Kefas and his father Ellias.