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Cataracts – Kenya

Thank you for helping people living with the double disadvantage of poverty and disability. Each and every gift you send is truly appreciated.
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Cataracts – Kenya

Description

Help give the miracle of sight to children and adults in Bungoma County, Western Kenya.

People who need eye care have to travel 60-100kms for specialist eye treatment. That is a journey of many hours on public transport, and the fare is just too expensive for most Kenyans. Sadly, many in the county are forced to go without treatment.

For this reason, there are many children and adults in Bungoma County living with avoidable blindness.

For children, blindness means they are unable to participate in most activities, and most are unable to attend school. Their future is bleak. Many become depressed and isolated, having to rely on others for care their entire lives.

For adults, blindness can mean unemployment, and dependence on others – often it means their children must drop out of school to provide care or bring in an income. It sentences whole generations to deep and hopeless poverty.

It is sad to think of all this pain and suffering in Bungoma County, when here in New Zealand we have the benefit of good healthcare. For us, avoidable blindness is usually picked up and treated early.

THE NEED

Over 43% of Kenya’s population lives in poverty. Western Kenya in particular has a high proportion of people living in poverty who face significant health challenges including eye diseases and conditions such as cataracts.

There are few hospitals in Western Kenya and they are situated too far away for many people seeking treatment for eye diseases such as cataracts and uncorrected refractive errors. The cost of transportation is unaffordable for vulnerable people who live in poverty particularly those with disabilities, children and the elderly.

WHAT YOUR GENEROUS SUPPORT CAN HELP FUND

  • Upgrades to two County Eye Health Centres. Including supply of testing and surgical equipment and recruiting of further Eye Health staff if needed.
  • Regular eye health screening of school age children and adults. Providing necessary specialist treatment and provision of glasses.
  • Cataract operations to adults and children.
  • Increased community awareness on the importance of good eye health and receiving regular checkups.
  • Further training of community health workers and volunteers to provide a stronger referral pathway between local communities and the national health system.


Your generous support to this programme will strengthen these County Eye Health Centres, enabling them to provide local communities with the high level of eye health screening they need. The facilities will also be left in a strong sustainable position to continue to deliver these vital services into the foreseeable future.

Additional information

Frequency

One-off, Every Week, Every 2 Weeks, Every 4 Weeks, Every Month, Quarterly, Annually

Zakayo

You will be helping turn blindness into sight for people like Zakayo…

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” – Luke 2:14.

Zakayo lives in Bungoma County, Western Kenya. He is a healthy and energetic father and grandfather. Until a few years ago, he was still able to help provide for his family through farming, poultry and animal rearing. He was also a preacher in his local church.

But when his eyesight began to deteriorate rapidly due to growing cataracts, his life took a turn for the worst. He could no longer see.

He became depressed and isolated at home. He could not read his Bible or lead the congregation. This was a huge loss for him, his family and his congregation. He was unable to help provide for his family, and as is often the situation in rural areas of developing countries like Kenya, people in his village even tried to take over his land! Zakayo began to lose hope…

But God still had plans for him!

Thankfully, he was one of the lucky few to be referred to the cbm-funded Eye Health Centre, where he received the miracle of sight-saving cataract surgery.

The operation was a success and, the day after taking off his eye patch, Zakayo could see again! He was over-joyed and especially when his sight continued to improve after the surgery.

Your gift today will help save more people like Zakayo in Bungoma County from living with avoidable blindness.

Zakayo’s life has been completely transformed. He promises to be a worthy ambassador by spreading the joy of receiving sight-saving cataract surgery so that avoidable blindness can be eliminated in his local community, and then in the next community, and so on, and so on, until the people of Bungoma County know they can have their sight restored, and receive quality eye health services in Western Kenya.

In Zakayo’s own words “…God had brought the joy back into my life! He has bought Heaven to Earth for me!”

But right now there are many others like him who are in desperate need of sight-saving surgery in Bungoma County. It is hard to imagine this ever happening in New Zealand. But it’s common-place in countries like Kenya, where access to quality eye health services is limited or non-existent. If left untreated, people like Zakayo become a burden to their families and lose hope in their future.

But there is a solution, thanks to generous people like you.

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cbm New Zealand

Freephone: 0800 77 22 64 (NZ only)
Phone: +64 9 414 9405
Email:

PO Box 303477, North Harbour, Auckland 0751

Unit B, 112 Bush Road, Albany, Auckland 0632

Registered Charity: CC26154

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