June 23, 2026  |  Schanzer Eye Institute  |  Serabu, Sierra Leone

Transporting patients to an outreach clinic — one of ten satellite clinics operated by the Schanzer Eye Clinic team.

The name says it all. This year's Annual Serabu Spelling Bee was won by a remarkable third grader named Princess J.K. Fatorma — proof that big things come in small packages, and that the community development programs of the Schanzer Eye Institute extend far beyond the exam room.

The Spelling Bee is just one of many educational initiatives supported through SEC's community programs, which also include scholarships from kindergarten through medical school. Princess's win is a reminder of what's possible when a community invests in its children.

For two years, seven high school graduate women from Serabu endured something no one should ever face.

An unscrupulous individual had lured them to the capital city of Freetown with promises of a college education and jobs in neighboring Ghana. Instead, they were abused, stripped of their family registration documents and laptop computers, and left isolated — cut off from their families, who were left confused and heartbroken.

When the Schanzer Eye Clinic team learned of their plight, they acted. SEC traveled to Freetown, rescued all seven women, enrolled them in the SEC college scholarship program, and began a patient, careful reconciliation process with their families.

The photo that came back from the field tells the story better than words can. After two years of abuse and abandonment, these seven young women are smiling again. Their families are on the road to healing. And the future that was nearly stolen from them is being restored — one step at a time.

Praise God.

Under the shade of a giant cotton tree, at the edge of a sacred burial ground, something extraordinary took place.

The Makavouray family — the founding family of Serabu — invited Tom Lewis to join their family as an honorary member for the rest of his life. In a two-hour ceremony steeped in history and meaning, Tom was given the name Thomas Paul Safina Makavouray Lewis.

The ceremony included the blessing of the burial grounds, libation reverence for the historic family, speeches of appreciation, and native dance celebration. Safina Makavouray, for whom Tom now carries a name, was the first chief of Serabu and the Bumpe region of what is now Sierra Leone.

For a man who has given twenty years of his life to this community — building the clinic, burying his wife here in spirit, and returning again and again — being welcomed into the founding family is not just an honor. It is a belonging.

Long after dark, the work wasn't done. Workers were deep into the night preparing food and decorating Dr. Cathy's Hall for the next day's grand 20th Anniversary celebration.

Tom watched one man — bare hands, open fire — pulling whole chickens in and out of the flames that were cooking rice and soup for the entire celebration. Over 100 chickens. No gloves. No hesitation. Just skill, grit, and joy.

Tom admitted he was in pain just watching. The cook was having the time of his life.

It's that kind of spirit — generous, unstoppable, and full of laughter — that makes Serabu unlike anywhere else on earth.

The Serabu Seven rescued. A spelling bee champion. A founding family's blessing. Twenty years of sight restored — all of it made possible by the generosity of supporters like you.

If these stories move you, consider giving today. Every dollar goes directly toward free eye care, scholarships, and community development in Sierra Leone.

or text SCHANZER to 44-321