12/07/2025
👩🏽⚕️💙 WOMEN IN OPTOMETRY AT THE GRASSROOTS 💙👩🏽⚕️
– A Mission of Sight, Service, and Sisterhood –
Yesterday, I had the privilege of doing what I love the most — using my skill and calling to serve humanity through purposeful eye care. Alongside a powerful team of dedicated women — fellow female optometrists under the umbrella of Women Optometrists in Nigeria (WON) — we embarked on a community outreach that was nothing short of transformative.
Our destination was Odawu Community in Joinkrama, Ahoada West LGA, Rivers State, a humble and vibrant rural area often forgotten when it comes to specialized healthcare. With joy in our hearts and the tools of our profession in hand, we set out to fulfill one of our core mandates: bringing quality eye care to the underserved.
Despite the logistical challenges that often come with grassroots interventions, we were fueled by our passion and commitment. And by the end of the day, we had:
🔹 Attended to over 300 residents, many of whom had never had an eye check in their lifetime
🔹 Performed free comprehensive eye examinations for people of all ages
🔹 Offered on-the-spot counseling, diagnosis, and referrals for more complex conditions
🔹 Distributed free prescription medications to treat common eye diseases
🔹 Gave out free eyeglasses, restoring clear vision to many whose sight had been a daily struggle
🔹 Shared knowledge on eye health education, prevention of blindness, and the importance of routine checkups
The joy in their eyes… the gratitude in their smiles… the relief in their voices… these are the moments that remind me why I chose this path — and why I keep choosing it every single day.
It was not just about giving out glasses or medicine.
It was about restoring dignity.
It was about giving people the power to read, work, learn, and live without limitation.
It was about making quality healthcare accessible, not just to the wealthy or the urban, but to everyone — especially those at the margins.
This outreach reinforced something deep within me — that true fulfillment comes from service. That the essence of leadership in healthcare is not just within the four walls of our clinics but also in the dusty paths of our rural communities, under tents, on school benches, surrounded by people who trust us to care for them.
I am so proud of my colleagues. Women who left their comfort zones, families, and businesses to lend their hearts and hands to this cause. Women who prove that sisterhood and service can walk hand-in-hand.
To the warm and welcoming Odawu community — thank you for receiving us with open arms.
To every single person we attended to — thank you for allowing us to serve you.
To WON — thank you for making this dream a reality.
💫 This is the work that moves me.
💫 This is the life I’m grateful to live.
💫 This is the impact I pray to make — again and again.
Let’s keep touching lives.
Let’s keep reaching the unreached.
Let’s keep serving with love and light. 🌍✨
