Vision Aid Overseas Projects.

Some of the team, drivers and minibus, Livingstonia 2004.

I went as a volunteer, in my capacity of Dispensing Optician. Along side teaching Yoga, this has been my occupation for many years; although working in rural Africa is very different from being employed in a high street practice in England. Our teams of  professionals often start and finish their days with an hour or two bumping along in a mini bus to reach the location of the next make shift clinic. We can arrive to find a hundred people queuing for our service. Another hundred usually arrive during the day, many people having walked miles to reach us.The reason is that eye care is very scarce in many parts of Africa and where it is available the cost is prohibitive for most people.







 Vision Aid Overseas is a charity that collects unwanted spectacles from people in England. The glasses are then cleaned and labelled with the prescription. A team of volunteers will take about 3,000 pairs on a project to a country where sight correction is not readily available for the population.   After sight testing, the closest match is dispensed to the patient. Even though the conditions are not always ideal, most of the people we see are able to take away a pair of spectacles or can be referred for medical treatment if it is available. Having vision corrected, as you can imagine has truly life changing effects on people. It can mean the difference between working or not and for children, being able to go to school and see the board. We also carry out training for local health care workers.


Vision Aid Overseas
www.vao.org.uk





PRESS RELEASE CONCERNING VISION AID OVERSEAS   June 12th 2006

Vision Aid Overseas (VAO), a charity based in the UK has visited Malawi for the 18th time
to provide eye tests and spectacles in hospitals and health centres.

The team of four optometrists and two dispensers travelled over 2000kms visiting towns as far
spread as Nsanje, Mulanje, Mangochi and Mwanza.  Clinics have previously also been held in
the Central and Northern districts.

Mr Khonje, Ophthalmic Medical Assistant, from MACOHA optical workshop at
Queen's Hospital, Blantyre, joined this team; he received further specialised training
and equipment from VAO.

Ruth Davies, Project Leader, who is on her fifth visit to Malawi, said "We held ten clinics
in two weeks and are delighted that we have been able to help so many people with sight problems. 
We have seen over 1,400 patients and provided more than 1,260 spectacles. 
I know we have really made a difference."

The British High Commissioner, Richard Wildash and his wife, Jane, invited the team to his
Residence before their departure to the UK.  They were moved by the personal stories that they
heard from team members.

Particularly memorable were two university students, both with little vision, who were tested and
given spectacles which will make their daily lives in and around the University much easier.

Dispensing Optician, Susan Metwali, said "It is miraculous that I am able to find spectacles even for
people with the most serious problems.  These students are Braille users but can now see large print." 
24 year old student, "Herbert" (not his real name) looked forward to getting about more easily and
watching football.

VAO team members are volunteers who contribute to the cost of their visit and take time off from
their professional jobs in the UK.  The spectacles supplies have been donated by members
of the British public.

Mr Wildash, who took up his appointment in February, has offered the Commission's support to
future VAO projects.