Firstly, apologogies for not maintaining the blog on a regular basis over the past 3 weeks. I’ve been away and where I went, internet access has been a bit patchy at best. Anyway, now that I am back in good old Motueka, it is time to catch up and share some some of the interesting things that happened over the past 3 weeks. Last year I got involved with the Fred Hollows Foundation and have been doing a bit of work over in Timor-Leste (East Timor). For me this was a wonderful experience and I was able to share some of my knowledge and expertise by teaching young Timorese students the technical and dispensing skills required to manufacture and dispense custom made glasses.

The Fred Hollows Foundation’s East Timor project is to establish a sustainable national eye health program which provides high quality, appropriate services that address the major causes of avoidable blindness and low vision, including cataract and refractive error. Assistance has been provided for a local eyecare entity by the name of “Fo Naroman Timor-Leste” (FNTL). Literally translated this means “Giving Sight Timor-Leste”. If you are interested, you can read up about the current activities of the Fred Hollows Foundation at this address: Fred Hollows Foundation – East Timor Project

After spending 4 weeks in Dili last year, I had the pleasure of going back last month for a period of 2 weeks. During that time was was able to catch up with my 2008 students, observe and enjoy the progress and confidence they have gained over the past 8 months, and follow up with some refresher training.

The optical workshop and dispensary is currently located at the National Hospital in Dili. The Hospital itself is run by the East Timor Ministry of Health. The hospital medical staff consists of overseas visiting specialists, Indonesian emergency department doctors, and Timorese resident doctors working on the wards and in the outpatient department. There are no locally trained specialists — a major limitation to the long-term goal of having an autonomous Timorese hospital.

The same applies to eyecare specialists and eyecare workers. Currently there is only one Timorese eye specialist, a couple of overseas visiting ophthalmologists and some trained refractionists. Those refractionists provide the majority of eye health services in East Timor.

East Timor has 13 provinces. Fo Naroman is currently visiting 6 of the largest ones in their effort to help members of these remote communities to maintain good eye health. This is not an easy task, because many Timorese cannot even afford to pay the $0.50 it costs to get a basic pair of prescription glasses that may allow them to do their work and enjoy life. Thanks to the Fred Hollows Foundation and Koha, a New Zealand Charity Organisation, FNTL is now able to provide these poorest of the poor with the free glasses they so desperately need.

Interested in helping out? Please visit the Fred Hollows Website

Thanks everyone, your help is very much appreciated.