More benefit from Eyes for the World project

Date: 08 May 2015 By: Andries van Zyl

Tuesday, 5 May, saw the culmination of the preliminary testing done by the Eyes for the World team sponsored by Agora Belgium and Louis Trichardt.

The Eye for the World team recently visited several schools in the Elim area to test and help improve children’s vision by supplying them with spectacles free of charge.

The schools tested were Ozias Davhana, Masungulo Primary and Elim Primary. In total, 1 068 children were tested, of which 60 received spectacles on the day from Eyes for the World. Twelve children were identified for specialist testing from Specsavers.

Eleven of the 12 children identified for specialist testing were screened at Specsavers in Louis Trichardt. Of these, one child needs an eye specialist and could not be helped with spectacles. The other 10 will all receive spectacles that will improve their quality of life. The 12th child’s parents decided to take him for treatment to their specialist of choice.

All testing and spectacles given on the day were sponsored by the local Specsavers branch. “I felt honoured to be a part of this project,” said Sanrie du Plessis of Specsavers.

All of the children who received glasses were diagnosed with short-sightedness and astigmatism, among other complications. One child, Achievement Mathebule, has instability in his eye muscle (nystagmus) which causes his eyes to move constantly. He is also short sighted and has astigmatism. Du Plessis could help him achieve just under 50% vision with glasses, from less than 10% without.

Another child, Maano Munzhelele, got the sap of a Naaboom (Candelabra) into his eye as a little boy, causing serious chemical burning to the cornea and resulting in total blindness in one eye.  “With spectacles, he has 30% vision in his good eye and will receive hard lenses (contact lenses) to see if his vision can be more improved. Ultimately, Maano needs a cornea transplant,” said Sandy van Niekerk of Agora international and also a member of the local Agora Club.

Some of the children needed eye drops and ointments for eye infections. These were purchased with the funds generously donated to Agora Club Louis Trichardt by the Louis Trichardt community.

“A special thank you to the headmasters and educators of the three schools involved.  Their obvious care and concern for their learners are commendable and heartwarming. Thanks also to Ms Nelly Tlakula (provincial Department of Education) for her enthusiastic support for this project and without whom the project would not have taken place,” said Sandy. She added that this had been one of the most rewarding projects that she had ever been involved in and is enthusiastic about taking the project forward in the future. “A special thanks to Agora Club Louis Trichardt who has bought into this project 100% and given it their all,” said Sandy.

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Andries van Zyl

Andries joined the Zoutpansberger and Limpopo Mirror in April 1993 as a darkroom assistant. Within a couple of months he moved over to the production side of the newspaper and eventually doubled as a reporter. In 1995 he left the newspaper group and travelled overseas for a couple of months. In 1996, Andries rejoined the Zoutpansberger as a reporter. In August 2002, he was appointed as News Editor of the Zoutpansberger, a position he holds until today.

More photos... 

A group photo of the pupils who benefitted from the follow-up specialist eye tests on Tuesday. The tests were done at Specsavers in Louis Trichardt. In front, second from right, is Ms Sanrie du Plessis of the local Specsavers branch. At the back, second from right, is Ms Sandy van Niekerk of Agora international.Photo supplied.