Mali is the fourth poorest country in the world.

In this region, many environmental factors contribute to the general conditions for two out of 12 million inhabitants to systematically lose their sight. The strong light and the polluted waters of the Niger River, where people wash themselves daily, are just some of these aspects.

In this context of extreme hardship and need, a humanitarian initiative of the Air Force, supported by the ophthalmic surgical team from Fate bene Fratelli and AFMAL, has emerged. The mission now in its seventh year, since December 2007, has achieved a total of more than 700 operations.

Often in Mali blind people live accompanied by so-called guide children, who can be taken from families or bought from poor and disadvantaged families. In this context, making a blind person independent also means freeing the guide child who would accompany him for life.

This mission is called "Giving Back the Light".