Kwale District Eye Centre - Kenya

1 - Highlights

Safaricom Diani Rules fund raising event makes a record Ksh1.3 million (US$19,000)

The photograph on the right shows Diani Rules participants pulling together to help children like Karisa (see item below).

A 4-wheel-drive vehicle was part-donated by CBM (Christoffel Blinden Mission International).

The photograph on the right shows the vehicle being used to transport patients home after surgery.

Karisa

Born blind from glaucoma in poor, rural Africa, Karisa faces a dim future.

With urgent surgery he may regain a tiny bit of vision but the outlook is very bad. Before the advent of KDEC he would have been hidden away from society and would probably not have made it to school age, let alone to school.

Now, he stands more of a chance. He will enter our low vision program.

The photograph on the right shows Karisa with his mother at the Eye Centre.

2 - Community Based Programme

We continue to sensitise the community on how to look after their eyes and encourage them to send people with eye problems to us.

The photograph top right shows a confused, afraid and blind Mtune arriving at KDEC.

Being blind means that you are dependent on somebody to help you with many things which we sighted people take for granted.

The photograph below shows Mtune seeing for the first time in years. She is with her daughter Ndinda after the operation. “God is great” she kept repeating when we took the eye pad off.

The photograph on the right shows Zidi who just needed a new pair of spectacles.

More and more we rely on the community's own resource persons (CORPs) to change peoples' attitudes. We talked in previous reports about the success of women's groups and village health committees. We see this as the way forward as these groups continue to refer cataract patients, low vision children and irreversibly blind people to KDEC. The increase in the number of children with low vision who reach us is because of this.

3 - Low Vision

Children with poor vision need special help.

The photograph top right shows low vision school children enjoy the story board at the Eye Centre.

The photograph below right shows Morris, who is excited because he can see clearly at last. His teacher was concerned because he was doing badly at school. A pair of spectacles changed all that.

Gradually the community are accepting that children with poor eyesight can learn in a normal school amongst their friends and neighbours.

In the photograph below, our vision therapist measures how much Morris can see with spectacles, by asking him to 'show us by drawing what you can see'.

4 - Rehabilitation

In some people we cannot restore their sight so we try to improve their quality of life through rehabilitation training.

Rehab Creates a Leader

Jonas, aged 54, was confident that, like many of his neighbours , his sight would be restored when he came to Kwale District Eye Centre.

Sadly, we explained that he would not see again, but that we may be able to help in other ways. Jonas was not impressed. ‘Pah! How can a blind man do those things they are suggesting?' he muttered to his wife.

Still sceptical, he did some rehab training enabling him to walk with a white cane, visit the toilet unaided and, in fact, go where he wanted. Suddenly after many years, he was to be seen out and about again, feeding his poultry and cattle, chatting to his neighbours. He could do most activities independently. He became well known and admired and was soon elected as Village Chairman.

He now represents his village in community development issues. He is much liked and respected by all those he works with.

Jonas confided in our rehab officer “I would be indoors, isolated and dependent were it not for you and for Kwale District Eye Centre”.

The photograph on the right shows Jonas, no longer muttering, and fellow blind people training for a normal life at KDEC .

5 - Eye Camps

We work wherever we are needed.

Jubilee Insurance Company sponsored a camp at Aga Khan Hospital, Mombasa, in February.

Other eye camps were sponsored by MEAK (Medical & Education Aid to Kenya).

The photograph on the right show Aga Khan Mombasa Hospital staff visiting patients referred to the Eye Centre for surgery.

6 - Infrastructure

• Dr Borgreffe and family visited, bringing with them a retinal laser funded by Dr Borgreffe and the German Prevention of Blindness Committee.
  The equipment was provided by Hans Beyeler of Analytica Ltd, Zurich and arranged by Dr. Vogel.
• Two Haag Streit slit lamps were donated by Verkaat Foundation
• Landcruiser partly donated by CBM to replace the aged Land Rover
• Additional digital camera by an anonymous donor

Above: Laser treatment in the Outpatient department

7 - Staff

The post of Patient counsellor was created. Patients are now getting detailed explanations of their problems and those who need surgery make informed decisions as they are made to understand what their problem is.

Below: Eye Surgeon Roger Humphry MD FRCS FRCOphth visits

Below: Patient Counsellor Alice, marries Mathias

8- Fundraising

Safaricom Diani Rules 2006

For more info, visit www.dianirules.com

Future Events

Eye Go Fishing Competition 25th and 26th November on the North Coast .

World Sight Day 12th October at KDEC. This year we will go to schools and create awareness about blindness, teaching children and blindfolding them.

Above: Throw a ball blind – Diani Rules

9 - Visitors to the Project January to June 2006

• Mr R Van Vliet

Above: Mr. Verkaat presenting ophthalmic equipment

• Mr & Mrs Luginbuehl
• Vonlanthen family
• Mr & Mrs Springer
• Inner Wheel Club of Mombasa
• Ms A.Njuguna and B. Amimo– CIDA
• Biagini FamilyMr & Mrs Hitziger
• Dr Sherman, Ms Otieno– Aga Khan Hospital, Mombasa
• S. Kassam- Jubilee Insurance
• Mr. R. Humphry MD FRCS – Honorary Ophthalmic Consultant to EFEA( UK )
• Dr L Manyara - KMTC
• Mr S. Mwachirumu - Ministry Public Works
• Team from Consolidated Bank
• Team from Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre
• Belusconie, Leporu. Child to Child for Africa Organisation
• J Harrington & L Hart
• R. Beleyer
• Father Osiche
• Rob Van Der Leuw
• Sr M.Ngirigaca-Daughters of Sacred Heart
• S.Himla & N. Kifani
• R.MuanziDr Z.Bagha– District Medical Officer for Health
• Sir Jeffery James- former British High Commissioner to Kenya
• Mr C. HillMr. J. Crow – Trustee, EFEA (UK)
• Teams from the Canadian High Commission and French & American Embassies for Diani Rules Sports Event
• Mr & Mrs Strothjohann
• G.Smith & H. Chapman

10 - To contact us

Both land lines have been down most of the time so we attached ourselves by radio link into Diani on 040 330 0118.

Mobile : +254 (0)722 785996

Email: eyeskwale@africaonline.co.ke

Website: www.eyesforeastafrica.org

Postal address: Kwale District Eye Centre, P.O. Box 90142 , 80100 – Mombasa

11 - Statistics January to June 2006