We are a group of twelve second year Optometry undergraduate students from Cardiff University travelling to Malawi for a month in August 2017. We plan to provide free eye care, vision screenings and second-hand spectacles to members of the local communities as well as teaching refraction to consultants in local hospitals. This will ensure that our efforts will extend into the future. Malawi is one of the poorest countries in the world, and can benefit hugely from our help. Being a third world country, there is very little access to eye care, and the main cause of visual impairment in Malawi is refractive error which can be resolved by simply prescribing spectacles – something which, to us, is second nature.

The more money we raise, the more spectacles we can contribute and the more lives we can change. Sight is a vital sense and without it, children struggle to learn and adults cannot work to earn the money needed to feed and support their families. Even small donations can help us provide those less fortunate than ourselves with vision care they wouldn’t have otherwise. This can completely change individual lives, enabling them to be independent and become an integrated member of the community.

Last year, a similar refraction project was run by Cardiff University optometry students where over 2000 local Malawians experienced the expert level of eye care we take for granted. 1500 people also received free spectacles, along with free hats and sunglasses for those who suffer from albinism, which too is much more common in Malawi. 

We aim to raise a target of £9000, both in Cardiff and at home. We will donate any leftover spectacles, hats, sunglasses and clothes to local hospitals and schools at the end of the project. In conjunction with donations, we are undertaking a wide range of fundraising events that will take place between now and the time we leave in August, so would love everyone to get involved – it’s all for a great cause!