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A beaming smile erupts across Winesi March's face as a doctor removes a bandage covering his eyes, allowing him to see his grandson for the very first time.
A simple £30 operation, which took just six minutes, has restored the blind grandfather's sight.
Footage shows the 69-year-old grinning and bursting into a celebratory song and dance with his entire family, as the bandages are peeled away.
Winesi was overjoyed to be able to look at his wife Namaleta's face, whom he had not seen properly for 12 years because of cataracts in both his eyes.
And the life-changing operation means he was able to look at his 18-month-old grandson Luka for the first time.
Winesi March, 69, was able to see his 18-month-old grandson Luka for the first time ever, after being blind for two years and visually impaired for 12. He said: 'I never imagined how Luka would look. I'm so happy to see him again. I said "ah this is how looks!"'
Winesi has his bandages removed as part of a live broadcast, after doctors carried out a procedure to remove cataracts from both his eyes
Cameras caught the exact moment Winesi's was able to see. He said he hopes his story encourages other to have surgery if they need it. 'I am proud that my story will be used to inspire other people' he said
Winesi is able to see his wife Namaleta properly for the first time in 12 years. He said: 'I am meeting her twice. I am born again.'
Namaleto said her husband getting his sight back is a dream come true. She said: 'I never ever dreamt of this happening to our family. There wasn’t much information in our area about eye care'
Winesi underwent an operation at the Queen Elizabeth hospital in Blantyre, Malawi, after his eyes deteriorated and he became completely blind two years ago.
Previously, Winesi worked as a farmer in the small village of Kalima in Malawi.
Three years ago, although his sight was deteriorating, he could still make out the path and get around, and so could help with planting and hoeing.
But since he became completely blind, working has always led to painful injuries, so he was confined to sitting on a mat all day, needing assistance to go the toilet or prepare food.
He was scared someone would attack him and he would be unable to defend himself.
And he worried about his wife shouldering all the burden of providing for the family.
But after being referred for treatment by an outreach ophthalmic clinical officer, Winesi had an operation which was livestreamed on the internet.
He said: 'Now I can see I can go back to my business. I want to get back to work on my farm and start cooking again and doing everything.
'When I saw my wife today I thought to myself. I am meeting her twice. I am born again. I never imagined how Luka would look. I'm so happy to see him again. I said "ah this is how looks!"'
His wife Namaleto added: 'I never ever dreamt of this happening to our family. There wasn’t much information in our area about eye care.'
The six minute procedure was carried out by Malawian eye surgeon Dr Gerald Msukwa for the charity Sightsavers, whose 'A Million Miracles' campaign aims to provide one million cataract operations in developing countries with few eye doctors.
Winesi is overjoyed at being able to see, having been completely blind for the last two years
The whole family is overjoyed and bursts into a celebratory song and dance. Winesi said he is excited to start cooking and farming again
After being completely blind for two years, Winesi had never seen 18-month-old grandson Luka before this day
They estimate that there are 20 million people in the world blind from cataracts, often unable to access the straightforward surgery
As the procedure to correct cataracts is straightforward and only costs £30, they hope to raise £30 million to pay for more operations in developing countries.
The Department of International Development (DfID) has said it will match any donation given to the charity in the first three months of the campaign pound for pound.
In the UK more than 50 per cent of adults over the age of 65 have cataract, a condition that causes sight to become blurred and gradually lost, the charity estimates.
Dr Msukwa said: 'The challenges are enormous. At the moment in Malawi there are only eight surgeons [for a population of more than 14 million people], so one issue is the number of doctors versus the patient need.
'Another is that in a poorly-resourced country people don't seek help. They are stuck somewhere and the doctor is somewhere else – until you link the two: that is when you start to make an impact.
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