Riya M., 10

Riya Moni is a gentle and hopeful 10-year-old girl from a poor rural family in Matlab South, Chandpur, who dreams of returning to school and helping her family someday. Her worsening vision due to untreated Strabismus has made it impossible for her to continue her studies, and without urgent surgery, she risks permanent blindness. Her father, Monir Hossain, is a farmer earning only BDT 9,000 a month, and her mother, Jannatul Ferdous, is a housewife. They live with Riya’s siblings—15-year-old Sumaiya Akhter, who is in ninth grade; 5-year-old Ariful Islam; and 1-year-old Salma Akter—in a small tin house with no land or savings. If Riya doesn’t get the necessary treatment soon, she may lose her sight forever, shattering her dreams and leaving her family even more helpless in their hardship. Her parents are desperate for help to give their daughter a chance at a brighter future.

According to Dr. Md. Anwar Hossain Sheikh, Chief Consultant, and Dr. Md Rashedur Rahman Talukder, Senior Consultant at Mazharul Haque BNSB Eye Hospital in Chandpur, Riya needs Strabismus correction surgery under general anesthesia, which involves realigning the eye muscles to restore proper eye coordination and vision. The doctors are hopeful that if performed in time, the surgery will significantly improve Riya’s sight and help her return to school and normal activities. However, if delayed, her brain may permanently ignore signals from one eye, leading to lifelong visual impairment or blindness in that eye. The total cost of the treatment is estimated at BDT 77,400, which her family simply cannot afford. Helpster Charity’s support could completely change Riya’s future, giving her not just her sight back—but her dreams, her confidence, and her childhood.