“Now I can see again, I can make money to support my family”

Father and grandfather Sardar, from Shahpur in northern Pakistan, is the main breadwinner for his family. Reliant on his income and care, his children and grandchildren faced an uncertain future when he began to develop cataracts.

“I work making bricks at Brick Kiln. It is very difficult work – all professions are difficult, but clay work is really tough. We start early in the morning, then come home for a while, then go back to work again in the afternoon. My two sons, daughter-in-law and grandchildren live with me – I am the main breadwinner.”

The Brick Kiln is owned by a landlord who hires people on daily wages to make bricks. The workers, like Sardar, live nearby with their families and are known as the Brick Kiln community. Many workers owe money to the land owner, and work for low wages to pay back their debts. As a result, the community doesn’t have access to any health services. 

Three years ago, Sardar’s eyesight began to worsen, but he had to continue working as his family was reliant on his income. Getting medical help for his eyes was not a possibility.

“In the past three years, I never got my eyesight checked because I was not able to go to the hospital. You can get the treatment when you have resources, but I could not even get my children an education. We do not have a penny for medicines and treatments. I am the only person who is managing the household.”