Tis the season to reflect back on 2019 and share with you the wonderful progress that the Sight4Bwindi project has made in its first year.

Our objective remains unchanged: to help Bwindi Community Hospital (BCH) to develop a quality eye care service that will serve what is (even by Ugandan standards) a very impoverished community of > 100,000.

So, in 2019, we started on our journey. BCH was eager to show their commitment to the project and built a dedicated Eye Clinic whilst we nervously set about the daunting task of raising £80K to Equip, Employ, Educate and Embed the Service.

We sought to put some fun (aka hard work!) into our fundraising events which included a Comedy Evening, a Pre-loved Sale, a High-Tea Event plus several talks to various supporting groups including the Rotary Club and Lions Club and as 2019 draws to a close, we can proudly reveal that we have a healthy bank balance of £22K and have received invaluable support from a range of industry leaders who have donated specialist equipment to the Clinic ( >£10K in value). We are, therefore, more than a third of the way to reaching our target!

So, how is your support making a difference?

• Firstly, there is a large consignment of equipment currently winging its way to Uganda which will help to equip the Clinic to a high standard (it promises to be one of the best-equipped Eye Clinics in Uganda)
• Secondly, BCH has identified a qualified Ophthalmic Clinic Officer (OCO) who they hope to employ. This will enable a quality Eye-care Service to commence in early 2020.
• Thirdly, education; the BCH nurse Pedson, is working hard to upgrade his nursing SEN qualification to SRN, which he will then cap with the Diploma in Ophthalmology (to become the Clinic’s second OCO).
• Finally, because a healthcare service does not become sustainable over-night, we are committed to support the development and embed the Service over the next 5 years.

So, we can reflect on some amazing achievements in 2019.

Our charity flyer is appropriately called the Gift of Sight and the Sight4Bwindi team would like to thank everyone who has so generously helped us in 2019 and we urge you to continue with your support as the Eye Service evolves. Our vision to get a BCH Eye Clinic up and running in the iconic year of 2020 is really happening; collectively, we are enabling the future to look up for many lives in Bwindi – 2020 let us see!

Best wishes and THANK YOU from Fiona, Kirsty, Rosemary and Debbie

PS: Fiona’s 20-year-old daughter Emily is running the Brighton Marathon on our behalf. Please feel free to support her on:

https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-display/showROFundraiserPage?pageId=1122101