a. The gift of sight
Out of the 3.26 million high school students in our country, nearly
170,000 (prevalence rate of 5.2%; MK
Muma et al, 2009) of them have significant eye problems mainly refractive
errors that have a potential of directly affecting
the ability of the student to study. Unfortunately, less attention has
been put to support these students; as a result, a whopping 64.3 % of students
with significant refractive errors
remain uncorrected (Muma et al, 2015). This is attributed to low accessibility of eye care services majorly
to the rural communities,
ignorance and the associated cost of purchasing a pair of glasses. (muma et al,
2015, LA.Nyamai et al, 2014).
It is from this that the association will embark on a High school vision program dubbed “GIFT SIGHT” to these students through identification, assessment and
donation of a pair of glasses to enable them to enjoy the precious
gift and right to good vision.
The program will run for three years from March 2023 to March 2028;
The association intends to screen 132,000 students in 220 secondary schools across the country;
First year:
40 schools in the 5 different counties. The identified counties are Nairobi, Kajiado, Kakamega, Murang’a, Mombasa and Kisii counties; eight schools per county. This will translate to screening of 24,000 students (average of 600 students per school)
Second year:
80 schools in the eight different counties in the second year;10 schools per county. The identified counties are Nakuru, Homabay, Kiambu, Embu, Eldoret, Machakos, Wajir and Nairobi. This will translate to screening of 48,000 students (average of 600 students per school).
Third year:
100 schools in the ten different counties in the third year;10 schools per county. The identified counties are Kisumu, Meru, Mandera, Makueni, Uashin Gishu, Vihiga, Nairobi, Taita Taveta, Laikipia and Garissa counties. This will translate to screening of 60,000 students (average of 600 students per school).
The key objective is to deliver a gift of sight to the less fortunate who are in dire need of a pair of glasses to enable them see properly but they cannot afford.
The main target will be students in interior rural areas where eye care services are not accessible and the slum urban areas where there is some form of access to eye care but the parents cannot afford a pair of glasses for their children.
The program mainly targets students between the ages of 14 and 18 years who are majorly found in our high schools.
In collaboration with our partners and well wishers, the association aims to donate around 11,000 pairs of glasses to students with uncorrected refractive errors.
We remain open to partnerships in delivering this program.
You can contact us via:
programs@optometrykenya.org