The Power of Storytelling
Story by Thabiso Thando Khoza
“We are all storytellers. We all live in a network of stories. There isn’t a stronger connection between people than storytelling.”
Jimmy Neil Smith
One of the ways in which our community at Flying for Life grows is through storytelling. We have been able to come this far through the stories we share, the stories our partners share, and stories from the people in the communities we help.
As part of our research, we ask our patients to share stories they know of people who have been impacted by our work. That’s how we discovered that the patients we’ve helped have been helping us reach more people. Many of those who received surgeries on our February eye doctor flight attested to how the experiences of fellow community members led them to use the services Flying for Life offers.
A patient shared a story of a man who worked as a taxi driver to support his family. The man could no longer provide for his family when he started losing his sight. Flying for Life helped him regain his sight through one of the eyecare projects and he is happy to be able to work and support his family again.
Nyoseatza Tshinole is an elderly woman we were able to help during this flight. For two years she could no longer see in both eyes. It was saddening to hear her explain that she felt like there was sand in her eyes. Nyoseatza heard stories about Flying for Life at a clinic and started gathering information that enabled her to receive the help she needs. We were glad to perform surgery on her left eye and will soon be operating on her right eye.
Elias Ndlovu said that he heard community members share stories about Flying for Life on a clinic visit and joined the people that came to get help on the day. For three years he had been unable to work due to his impaired eyesight. Elias was optimistic about searching for work as soon as he has recovered from the operation.
A doctor, who has been working in the rural community for four years, said that he has seen how our projects have had a positive impact in their community. He shared that they are struggling with poverty and need well-equipped healthcare centres. The doctor was touched by how grateful one of his patients was after receiving surgery and regaining his sight. We are humbled to know that our work is uplifting the people in these communities, and that we are indeed bridging gaps formed by poverty.
Most of the people we’ve helped were elderly. It was heart-warming to hear how the surgery was going to help them complete their daily tasks more easily. We have been able to reach them through the stories that they share in their communities.