Kwale District Eye Centre - Kenya

1 - Highlights

2 - Community Based Programme

Initially, the emphasis of our community based programme was to find patients and help them access help.

This was primarily directed at those who needed cataract surgery to see again, or those with diseases, such as glaucoma, vitamin deficiencies or diabetes, who needed treatment to prevent them losing their sight.

The programme has expanded to encompass integration of the irreversibly visually impaired, blind or deaf/blind. Community mobilisation and training continue to play a vital part.

The damage to the district’s infrastructure has not yet been repaired following last year’s flooding. Roads are terrible and an estimated 50% of the population rely on food aid.

Above: Words fail to describe what this lady felt when the bandage was removed from her eye after cataract surgery.

3 - Low Vision

The photograph on the top-right shows Chizi, who is an albino. She comes from a very remote village in Kwale. Like most albinos she has low vision and needs help.

At last the message is reaching far out communities that we can help these children.

Two children with low vision took examination in large print for the first time in Kwale District. They did so well that they gained entry to secondary schools.

The second photograph bottom right shows our low vision assistant, Nzirani, as she encourages Hamisi to use his less strong right eye.

4 - Rehabilitation

Teaching people to go about their daily chores without sight is the focal point of the rehab work.

Mwanasiti came to a field screening three years ago hoping to have something done to restore her sight. Sadly, nothing could be done.

She used to make an income from weaving, but she was no longer able to go out and look for the leaves she uses. She sat at home, useless and frustrated.

She snorted with derision when our rehab officer , Mwinyi, suggested joining the rehab programme. She felt it was a waste of time and that, if only someone would give her glasses, she would be able to see.

It took Mwinyi two years to help her to come to terms with her blindness and accept our help. She can now weave with confidence producing beautiful baskets. We sell these in our charity shop and awareness centre in Diani.

Ningome is totally blind. She gained the confidence to take up her old skill of hands-on healing when she attended our residential training for blind ladies. Now she runs a thriving clinic from her home.

Above: Mwanasiti with some of her beautiful baskets.

Above: Ningome (on the right) works at home

5 - Eye Camps

Many people in remote areas of Kenya cannot access eye care.

Together with Medical and Educational Aid to Kenya we took the services to the people, enabling over 600 people to have sight -restoring surgery.

The photograph on the right shows Dr. Helen as she examines patients at an eye camp at Ngurunit in northern Kenya.

6 - Infrastructure

• The Australian High Commission, Nairobi donated an Ocuscan machine for measuring the power of the lens which is to be inserted at cataract surgery
• Meghraj Properties (UK) gave a digital camera for field work and two computers for the Community Based Programme
• CBMI donated a motorbike for field work

Above: The Ocuscan machine in use; it measures the length of the eye by ultrasound

7 - Staff

Sadly our Project Manager, Thuweba, left us for a job in Dar.

Our Ophthalmic Clinical Officer, George, returned to Nairobi to be near his family.

Alio Ahmed completed his attachment with us. He passed his final exams at Kenya Medical Training College.

Mohamed Kombo joined us for five months training attachment as a cataract surgeon.

Above: Roger and Jane at their wedding

Dr Roger Humphry

Dr. Roger Humphry has been visiting KDEC for over four years now. He brings invaluable help, equipment and expertise each time.

He accepted the post of honorary consultant of our UK based charity: Eyes for East Africa UK in 2005.

Roger plays the saxophone and his big band have held two functions in UK raising over £4,000 for the centre. The dulcit tones of his sax playing out across the garden attract all the watchmen who hang around the house enjoying a taste of good jazz.

Dr Humphry was recently married to Jane and we wish both Roger and Jane very much happiness together.

8- Fundraising & Publicity

Safaricom Diani Rules 2007

Our annual beach sports event on the weekend of 1st June raised a record Ksh1.5 million ($21,429) for eye care.

Our huge thanks to all our sponsors and supporters, particularly Lucy Marsden who has taken over the running of the Diani Rules website.

Also our thanks to Rimal Patel for his work in setting it up.

Have a look on www.dianirules.com

Above: Safaricom’s Benjamin Kioko presents the sponsorship cheque of Ksh1 million (US$13,333)

Charity Shop and Awareness Centre in Diani Shopping Centre

The shop continues to flourish. A local glassware company kindly donated 16 cases of their goods.

Eye Give

Our thanks to all those generous people who have chosen a gift this way through our websitewww.eyesforeastafrica.org

Future Events

World Sight Day 11th October at KDEC. This year's continues schools awareness.

Liaison Eye Go Fishing competition — 17th & 18th November on the North Coast.

9 - Visitors to the Project

• S. Abdalla & D. Ngugi—MEWA Medical Centre
• F. Datoo—Bilal Muslim Mission of Kenya
• Mary Douglas, CEO, Aga Khan Hospital, Mombasa
• F. Zitoh, Kwale County Council
• Mr. & Mrs. Merinsky—Switzerland
• Mr. & Mrs. Stedler—Germany
• Ms. M. Biagini & Mr. E. Segre—Italy
• Messrs J. Lenkulate, S. Obonyo & A. Waweru— Siana Springs & Mara Intrepids Camps
• Mr. R. Engel—Germany
• Michael & Les—England
• Mr. C. Dooley—Ireland
• Mr J. Crow, Trustee, Eyes for East Africa (UK)
• Hommy Khosrowpanah
• Dr. R. Humphry, Honorary Consultant, Eyes for East Africa (UK)
• R. Graham & J. Muiruri & Ms. C. Cross—Sight Savers International
• Dr. M. Thiel—Germany
• Ms. S. Marshall—England
• Mr. S. Monaghan
• Fr. A Fantoeci—Ukunda Catholic Church
• Sylvia Miloyo, CBM Il, Nairobi
• CBM I co-workers from different countries worldwide attending a conference in Mombasa.
• M. Mohamed & Mr. Sujay—Imperial bank, Mombasa
• Fr. J. Kenga—Shimba Hills Parish, Kwale
• G. Atieli—Sense International
• B. Brueggemann, M. Lupo, N. Berman & P. Armstrong—Ohio State University
• Dr. H. Gaeckle—Germany (the photo below shows Dr Gaeckle examining a patient)

10 - Statistics January to June 2007