Kwale District Eye Centre - Kenya

1 - Highlights

2 - Community Based Programme

The programme took a different approach -this year by undertaking screening of children in schools and creating awareness of eye disease.

The photograph on the right shows one of the awareness sessions under way.

We were helped by Geraldine McBride, an orthoptist visiting from Ireland.

Children are very good ambassadors.

Binti (shown in the photograph on the right) came to KDEC for cataract surgery on the advice of her grand-daughter.

Above: A school screening session

Above: Binti visits KDEC

3 - Low Vision and Education

Albinos

Albinos are better protected from the sun’s harmful rays, thanks to the generosity of tourists in the local hotels.

Instead of throwing away unused sun-lotion, KDEC worked with the hotels to collect these and distribute to children.

Albinos, who also have visual problems, often die young due to sun-induced skin cancer in Africa.

Kambi

When Kambi’s mother heard our community based worker speaking at the ante natal clinic (her next child is due in 6 months) she was delighted. Help at last!

But, sadly, we cannot make Kambi see. We can, however, help with his development, especially with his schooling.

Kambi may not be able to see but gone are the days when he would have been taken away from his family to a blind school miles away from home.

Now, with back up from the project, he can attend the local school.

Morris

An orphan, was first seen at KDEC when he was six. His teachers were concerned about his performance, because he could not read or write properly.

He was found to be very short sighted and not able to see much at any distance. He could not see the blackboard at all but was too scared to tell the teacher. photo

He was prescribed spectacles but did not receive them until three years later when our low vision therapist came across him playing near to her house.

His guardian had been unable to afford the specs but did not tell us this. Morris moved and we lost touch until this extraordinary coincidence.

We found a sponsor to pay and now Morris can see. He has a lot of catching up to do but now he stands a chance.

Above: An albino boy receives protective sun lotion

Above: Kambi with his mother at the ante natal clinic

Above: Morris wearing his spectacles

4 - Rehabilitation

Maria learns to wash clothes, part of normal life, even though she can’t see when they are clean.

Deaf Blind

Naturally, with a very active community based programme, KDEC comes across all kinds of disabilities. Imagine being both deaf and blind. Well, we found 25 people in Kwale District this year who are both deaf and blind.

Sense International trained our community based workers so that we can help these people. Sense also trained all our community based workers in basic skills to enable them to work with the deafblind.

Deafblind clients often have accompanying conditions such as pilepsy, so ongoing collaboration and networking with organisations offering this help to overcome difficulties remains very important. What we need next further to improve our community programme is to arrange ear, nose and throat (ENT) assessments as these facilities are not available anywhere in the district.

Above: Maria busy washing clothes

Above: Deaf Blind project supervisor learns sign language

Website contact changes girl's future

Mesaidi, born with a severe facial deformity, spent nine months in the UK undergoing facial reconstructive surgery.

All this thanks to Facing the World - a UK based charity - who contacted us through our website asking if we knew someone who needed life changing facial surgery.

The photographs on the right show Mesaidi before and after surgery

After many administrative difficulties Mesaidi and her mother went to UK for nine months where Mesaidi underwent many operations in London with specialists offering their services for charity.

After time recovering back home in Kenya, Mesaidi is due to return to UK for further surgery in about five year’s time. Mesaidi has gained much confidence and is better able to face the world now.

5 - Staff

KDEC continued to gain recognition both within Kenya and worldwide.

Student Attachment

The University of Nairobi, a major WHO training centre in East Africa for Ophthalmologists, posted a student to us for practical attachment.

Dr. Sebastian Briesen, who is a registrar from the University of Nairobi, spent 2 months at KDEC

Road Repairs

Staff at KDEC have other talents apart from restoring sight—road repair!

The 800 metre dirt road between KDEC and the main road was in bad shape so the staff took to the road filling in pot-holes.

Patients attending the eye centre could not believe their eyes! Now our tuktuk has a smoother ride.

Help for Nsanite

Nsanite, our cleaner, was devastated when her house was burnt down.

In the photograph on the right, the chairman of the KDEC management committee gives her a present from the staff, enough money to rebuild her house!

Above: Dr. Sebastian Briesen working at KDEC

Above: KDEC staff carrying out road repairs

Above: Nsanite receives her gift from KDEC staff

6 - Infrastructure

• Minivan and saloon car replaced.
• Three motorbikes for community based workers added.
• Perimeter wall coped and painted.
• KDEC re-painted.
• Computers upgraded for the rehab & low vision programme and a laptop added to provide central email facility.

Above: Painters at work at KDEC

7 - Visitors to the Project

• V. Eakin—Silver Lining & R. Wallis
• D. Lusava—DO, Matuga
• Dr. M Joose—Holland
• M. Wachira—Kikuyu Eye Unit
• I. Muema, M. Kagiri—Sense International
• Mr. & Mrs R. Davey
• Mr. & Mrs. A. Chipperfield—USA
• Dr. J. Cooper
• B. Miller & Family, UK
• J. Morrissey—CBM I, Nairobi
• Dr. H. Waetric
• Mr. & Mrs. A. Vonlanthen—Austria

Above: Visitor Dr. J. Dillinger, from Germany examines a child

• J. Muturi, P. May-Kamau—Association for the Swedish Deaf
• Dr. M. Gichangi—Head, Division of Ophthalmic Services. MOH H/quarters
• D. Chelang’a, B. Ajwang, A. Liban—Primary Eye Care, MOH H/Quarters
• Staff from Insurance Company of East Africa
• Dr. Miyoge—MOH, Kwale
• Mr. & Mrs Kliep—Germany
• Mr & Mrs Laabs—Germany
• Mr. & Mrs Klien—Germany
• M. Muturi & E. Mumasaba—SSI, Regional Office
• L. Kalnoky—Austrian Red Cross
• S. Mishra—Sense International, India
• A. White, B. Gallie, B. Ouma, C. Okeyo - Daisy Eye Cancer Fund
• F. Schutte—Germany
• Mr & Mrs B. Robbe—Germany
• C. Higgins & M. Moon—UK
• Mr & Mrs Fieldkiercher—Austria
• Mr. & Mrs. H. Chapman
• Mr. & Mrs H. Kurowski—Germany
• W. Thamm—Germany
• W. Knepper—Kruna Foundation, Germany

8- Fundraising & Publicity

World Sight Day

An annual event marked on 11th October 2007.

This year, we continued awareness in local schools. A painting competition dubbed ‘Gift of sight’ held on the same day. The winning entry was used to illustrate a greetings card used in the Eye Give programme run by Eyes for East Africa (UK).

Liaison Eye Go Fishing

For the second year now, fishing competition has been named after the overall sponsor, Liaison Group (IB) Limited. The total sum raised from this event was Ksh 429,510/- (Approx. US$6,136)

Above: - Liaison Group’s Coast branch manager, Andrew Kachila hands the sponsorship cheque of Ksh100,000/-(US$1,429) to Dr. Roberts

9 - Statistics for full year to December 2007