In addition to thanking everyone for supporting our Eye Clinic in Uganda the Sight4Bwindi team Fiona, Kirsty, Rosemary and Debbie, would like to keep you up dated with the project’s progress.
Bwindi Community Hospital have demonstrated their irrefutable commitment to this project. Since our last visit in July 2018, the Hospital have been very busy. A shipping contained has been converted into an impressive Eye Clinic space which has been sub-divided into a screening room and a consulting room. The Clinic has now been kitted out with all the donated equipment that we left – we didn’t leave the plastic garden chairs which serve as a stark reminder of how few resources this Hospital has and how valuable our support is.
In the meantime, here in the UK we have been exploring ways to raise funds. Our aim is to raise £80K over the next 5 years which will allow the Eye Clinic to be staffed with well trained eye professionals and offer an excellent service, supported by a wide range of ophthalmic equipment. The services that will be provided will be invaluable to this desperately poor community and we are confident that in 5 years, the Eye Clinic will be providing a thriving, sustainable service. A Global Eye Charity have already expressed an interest in supporting Phase 2 of the project and scaling up the service.
So, our aim for Year 1 is to raise £20K which is looking very do-able. Fundraising was slow to start but then we received two generous donations from two private individuals which kick started the ball rolling. The Rushen & Western Mann Rotary Club in the Isle of Man Rotary Club put on an amazing High Tea Event (that would have rivalled Fortum and Masons) and since then, there has been a steady flow of donations. Thank you.
Fiona is taking the ‘lead’ on holding not a jumble sale but a Pre-Loved sale on 5th October in Chichester to coincide with World Sight Day, which will be followed by a Comedy Evening in Farnham on 12th October. The Sight4bwindi objectives align perfectly with the aims of World Sight Day which falls on Thursday 8th October. We are keen to raise awareness of the issues associated with not having access to simple eye cares services which can range from impaired sight due to lack of prescription spectacles to going blind due to lack of medications for treatable eye conditions such as infections, inflammations and glaucoma.
If anyone fancies giving out our leaflets/rattling one of our donation tins on or around World Sight Day – please, let us know as, the more the merrier! To make a donation please visit our online fundraising page.
Fiona, Kirsty, Rosemary and Debbie
reachbwindi.com 