Dr. Helena Ndume, a Namibian eye surgeon affiliated with Santa Barbara nonprofit SEE International , has been named one of two recipients of the first-ever United Nations Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela Prize, thanks to a nomination from SEE.
The UN General Assembly created the award to commemorate Mandela’s “legacy of reconciliation, political transition, and social transformation,” according to Assembly President Sam Kutesa. Every five years, one male and one female nominee will be chosen as recipients for their humanitarian service in various parts of the world.
Ndume will receive the honor for her efforts to treat blindness and eye-related diseases in Namibia and other developing countries. According to SEE, she has performed 30,000 pro bono surgeries within Namibia alone. This summer, she will collaborate with SEE on three different programs in Namibia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The organization expects 700 patients to regain their eyesight during the three-week course of the programs.