Hello and thank you for visiting my page.
Please help support the work of the Akamba Aid Fund in improving the sight of people in rural Kenya. It was clear from my first trip there in November 2007 that there are significant numbers of people who are affected by visual defects which would be easily treated were they living in the UK. In four days of eye testing, I encountered a dozen people all of whom were completely blind due to cataract, a situation which is rarely allowed to occur in the Western world. Many others simply needed a pair of glasses to help them see better, and improve their prospects for work and education.
Money collected though this site will primarily be used to fund cataract operations, which cost as little as £50, but have a profound effect on the life of the sufferer, and those around them. Funds are also sought to train staff working at the one of the region's major health centres, the Tei Wa Yesu clinic in Gai, in order to allow them to diagnose and treat numerous sight threatening conditions, including trachoma. The staff will also be trained to test peoples' sight and prescribe spectacles where possible, and in so doing, improve their quality of life significantly.
My trip in November 2008 was equally successful and as a result of donations made via this website, and by other means, I was in a position to refer 24 people for cataract operations and treatment for other eye diseases. It was also an opportunity to meet a few people from my last trip who underwent cataract surgery in the summer and see the positive impact the improvement in vision has had on their lives.
In 2009, Ben Williams visited the area and continued the sight testing and referral work, sending a further 8 people for cataract surgery at Kikuyu Hospital in Nairobi. He also took out a slit lamp microscope donated by the Rotary Club in Chard, Somerset, which was an invaluable tool.
October 2010 was the busiest year yet with over 600 people being testing in a 10 day period in some of the most remote and poorest parts of Kenya. Over 500 pairs of glasses were dispensed and in late November, 29 people underwent surgery for cataract at the main hospital in Nairobi. None of this would have been possible without the ongoing support from donors via this site.
Donating through this site is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Akamba Aid Fund will receive your money faster and, if you are a UK taxpayer, an extra 28% in tax will be added to your gift at no cost to you. Please bear in mind that Justgiving take 5% commission + VAT for each donation, plus a variable transaction fee depending on the payment method, so please be as generous as you can.
Many thanks for your support. For more information, please email me at simon.eyeman@tiscali.co.uk .
Simon
