A Long Road to Eye Surgery
Esther Holsten, CDO and member of the extended board of EinDollarBrille, recounts her visit to Malawi, one of the program’s target countries, in September 2026. Her final stop on this trip takes her to Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre. There, she witnesses the sacrifices families must make to enable their children to undergo eye surgery.
A view from the car on the way to Blantyre. You encounter Malawi in many small moments along the way.
A well-earned break with a view. Peter, a driver with GoodVision Malawi, stands before the picturesque backdrop of Ndirande Mountain near Blantyre, in the Shire Highlands.
A quick stop after two hours on the road. Gas prices in Malawi are about as high as in Germany. Pay by card, and a meal can easily cost just as much.
A view from the car on the way to Blantyre. You encounter Malawi in many small moments along the way.
A well-earned break with a view. Peter, a driver with GoodVision Malawi, stands before the picturesque backdrop of Ndirande Mountain near Blantyre, in the Shire Highlands.
A quick stop after two hours on the road. Gas prices in Malawi are about as high as in Germany. Pay by card, and a meal can easily cost just as much.
A view from the car on the way to Blantyre. You encounter Malawi in many small moments along the way.
Seven Hours on the Road
We set off without breakfast. After two hours, we stop at a gas station to buy something to eat. Tomatoes, potatoes, and fish are neatly displayed along the roadside. Along the way, I see children walking to the water pump with containers balanced on their heads.
My driver, Peter from GoodVision Malawi, is so much more than just a driver: He makes sure we get from A to B safely. He can fix the car, acts as my interpreter, and helps me take photos on location.
Due to road construction, people on the road, and our stop, we don’t arrive in Blantyre until seven hours later. By then, our appointment is already over. It’s quickly rescheduled for the next morning.
Distances that look manageable on a map can turn into real adventures.
What the Journey Means for Families
Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital is an important resource for people in southern Malawi. Many surgeries are performed at smaller branch facilities. However, for children’s eye surgeries, families must travel to Blantyre. According to the information I’ve gathered on the ground, there are only two female doctors in Malawi who specialize in such surgeries. Dr. Esther Sanga Misanjo heads the ophthalmology department at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, where she has access to an operating room. The second specialist works in Lilongwe but does not have her own operating room there. The medical staff needed to administer anesthesia are only available in Blantyre.
The trip can take a family seven to ten hours. The mother is then away from home. Added to this are the travel costs, which are nearly impossible for families earning less than one U.S. dollar a day to afford. Some examinations can only take place once a week because the hospitals share the equipment. If a mother arrives too late with her child, she may have to wait a week.
Conditions at the hospital are also challenging. There are hardly any mattresses in the pediatric ward, the toilets don’t work, and there are medication shortages. I was told that sometimes two patients undergo surgery at the same time in a single operating room.
GoodVision Malawi is an key local partner. The team conducts vision screenings, educates families, identifies children who need surgery, and facilitates referrals.
When I ask Dr. Sanga what would help the most, she mentions renovation work. During the tour, she shows me broken tiles, walls, and toilets. She has already prepared a list of needed equipment. She was advised to always carry this list with her, in case anyone asks for it. This time, I’m that person.
Marc Zedler, who leads GoodVision Malawi, and Esther Holsten meet with Dr. Esther Sanga Misanjo. Dr. Misanjo heads the ophthalmology department at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre and is one of only two specialists in Malawi who can perform eye surgery on children. Malawi has a population of about 23 million.
Esther Holsten and Marc Zedler with part of the GoodVision Malawi team in Blantyre. In one year, the team more than doubled the number of glasses it distributed, with the same budget. Hats off to them.
Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre serves people throughout southern Malawi. It is the only place where children can be treated by specialists in anesthesia and eye surgery. Some families travel seven to ten hours to get there.
The hospital shares some diagnostic equipment with other hospitals. As a result, certain tests can only be done once a week, so missing an appointment can mean waiting another week. For families living on less than a dollar a day, that can be extremely difficult to manage.
Marc Zedler, who leads GoodVision Malawi, and Esther Holsten meet with Dr. Esther Sanga Misanjo. Dr. Misanjo heads the ophthalmology department at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre and is one of only two specialists in Malawi who can perform eye surgery on children. Malawi has a population of about 23 million.
Esther Holsten and Marc Zedler with part of the GoodVision Malawi team in Blantyre. In one year, the team more than doubled the number of glasses it distributed, with the same budget. Hats off to them.
Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre serves people throughout southern Malawi. It is the only place where children can be treated by specialists in anesthesia and eye surgery. Some families travel seven to ten hours to get there.
The hospital shares some diagnostic equipment with other hospitals. As a result, certain tests can only be done once a week, so missing an appointment can mean waiting another week. For families living on less than a dollar a day, that can be extremely difficult to manage.
The return trip also goes differently than planned
On the way back, I talk with Marc Zedler, the program director of GoodVision Malawi, about various support models that enable as much self-reliance as possible. But our car isn’t running right anymore. Peter replaces the spark plugs right in the middle of the road. While we wait, five boys walk by and offer us fried chicken and grilled mice.
About 40 minutes later, the fuel injection pump starts acting up. We stop in a village. Peter gets replacement parts and finds a mechanic to fix the car. It’s 4 p.m., it’s getting dark, and we don’t know if we’ll make it back that same evening.
We had actually planned to have dinner with the team. Violet Gladzon, a cook at GoodVision Malawi, cooks for the team every day. Sometimes her meals are the only ones our team eats all day, so we can save money while on the road. That evening, dinner is canceled because we’re running late. No one is disappointed.
What remains?
This visit showed me just how much it takes to provide eye care for a child in Malawi—and what GoodVision Malawi is already doing to make that happen. The team is on the ground, conducting vision tests, raising awareness, and establishing connections. Without them, many families would never find their way to Blantyre.
What also impressed me: GoodVision Malawi has more than doubled the number of glasses distributed within a year—on the same budget. That’s no small feat. It’s the result of people who know their country, who don’t give up when something doesn’t work, and who figure out anew every day how they can reach more people. I’m glad we’re on this journey together.
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