A group of volunteers and a handful of opticians get on a bus...No, not an age old joke! These guys are on their way to the Mtwara Free Eye Camp.

The journey is a staggering 565km drive to the Southern Region of Mtwara where the dry dust and beating sun rule. They began their journey at about 7:00am and it took nearly 12 hours to complete the round trip to Mtwara! Upon their arrival the volunteers and opticians were welcomed by a crowd that had been waiting sometime in the blistering heat. All patients and staff stationed at the camp had been riled up and a roar of appaluse echoed around as the team got off the bus.

The eye camp itself was made up of a local school and part of a hospital, dedicated specifically to the team so they could carry out vital work on people's eye problems and hand out prescriptions. The school is called The Ligula Primary School; The photograph may remind you of your own first days at primary school. Black boards stood as testimonials to the hours of education etched upon it by enthusiastic teachers. The sound of children playing in the grounds, resounded in the air.

The children in trhe picture to the right have taken part in their daily school activities, but also, on this special day when the eye camp is in town, they learn the importance of keeping their eyes healthy and if there is a problem, to speak out and get the problem seen to. They are taught that silence on this matter can lead to the condition worsening.

The surrounding area of Mtwara is simply beautiful. There are picturesque views all around, leaving the impression that this magical place has a beautiful landscape all over. Some of Mtwara's longest surviving residents have not seen this for years. The idea of having no sight from birth is not a thought we like to consider, nor would we understand. Now imagine that you lost your sight. You have seen these beautiful surroundings once before, but now, due to a condition called Cataracts, you cannot see a hand in front of your face.

Beta Charitable Trust work very closely with the organisers responsible for such life changing camps and so, we asked our donors to pledge again. They did so. More valiantly than ever. Thanks to the help of our donors BCT has helped the camp perform 108 cataract surgeries during the time the camp was open. Each of the surgeries were a huge success. One surgery was performed on a 90 year old women, who explained to our volunteers that she had simply given up all hope of ever seeing the beauty that surrounds her. Now, thanks to the surgery, she is able to take in the land she knows and loves so well.

Cataracts are a condition where clouding begins to appear in the crystalline lens of the eye. The clouding obstructs light from entering into the eye, thus preventing the individuals ability to see, if untreated. These eye camps are designed to and specialise in assessing and treating the cataract condition. Cataracts are very much treatable. However, treatable only if you have the tools and resources. Without treatment cataracts lead to vision loss

This is why we at BCT, our donors and dedicated group of volunteers and opticians strive to put on as many of these free eye camps as possible. No more un-necessary blindness. Click here to make your donation today.

Follow the below links to see our other projects

Sachek Medical Clinic Brings Aid To Citizens

Cataract Counter Attack At The Free Lindi Eye Camp

Serious Eye Conditions Eradicated Thanks To Camps In Dodoma

Sachek Medical Clinic Still Saving Lives

Local Support From Our Donors Goes To PARC Charity In Braintree, Essex