Another year has passed!
Looking back there have been great developments this year, both in Sierra Leone and in The Netherlands
In Sierra Leone our projects in Eye Care and Education have got a solid base more and more. Every four months we travel to Sierra, we discuss ongoing steps and we visit the projects. Together with our local staff we do a long term planning and we speak about practical short term measures. Rev. James Davies and Mr.Abdul Karim Kamara implement the decisions and they are our local representatives. Every month (sometimes more frequently) they communicate in details about all activities.
In the Netherlands we have been able to reinforce our team with a few eye specialists and a family doctor to assist in Sierra Leone. Dr.Henk Veraart (eye doctor) and Maria Veraart (nurse for Mental Health) have been active for some years now. This year they visited Sierra Leone in the company of Dr.Myrthe Dielemans (eye specialist) and Dr.Richard Muis (Family Physician) to introduce them to the country and the work. They are quite enthusiastic and have the intention to come again in 2025.
Dr.Berend Schaeffner came twice to Sweet Salone to boost the Eye Care and for the training of nurses in Waterloo. Unfortunately Dr. Wim Klein Poelhuis was unable to join, but he may come again in 2025.
An overview of the year 2024:
Eye Care:
SECOM
- SECOM – The local NGO with with what we cooperate since more than 7 years now. Their volunteers perform daily eye camps in various places to see patients with all kinds of eye problems. They treat simple conditions with eye drops or ointments; they refer serious cases to a major Eye Hospital at Kissy; they select cataract patients to be operated by their own team.
- If spectacles are needed, SECOM has an Optical Workshop to determine the refraction and to provide glasses.
- If people need a cataract operation and if they can’t afford: FAD will contribute for 600 less privileged patients annually.
Advertisement for cataract surgical help
Our team : Antonio, Paulina, Francis en Aminata Bintu to experience the work around caratact operations
- Sometimes SECOM finds little children with serious eye problems or even the thread of becoming blind. These children are referred to the UMC Eye Care Hospital in Kissy. In this Hospital is a an eye doctor who is specialized in care for children and there is a very good cooperation with him and his staff. FAD has been able to support 6 little children in this way.
- Unfortunately from time to time we meet patients for whom we are unable to restore sight. Sometimes this may due to delay, sometimes due to lack of funds. Or it might be impossible for them to use life-long eye drops.
Waiting room before having a catract operation
Dr.Henk and Dr.Myrthe have been assisting SECOM during a week in training, performing operations, joining in eye camps. It was a great contribution to increase the quality of the care. The coming year they will join again.
Henk and Myrthe during consultating hours
- Berend has been teaching both in a classical way as well as in the field. His contribution is on diagnostic procedures, prescription of drugs and teaching physiology and anatomy and coaching of staff.
- The two people standing are family members, but couldn’t recognise themselves before the operations because cataract affection in both eyes. They abled to recognise themselves after the operations.ECOM :
KISSY EYE HOSPITAL, FREETOWN
- Mr Francis Focko (nurse specialized in eye care) has completed his training as a catarcat surgeon this year in Banjul, The Gambia. At present he does his internship in Kissy Hospital before he is fully licensed to operate on eyes. FAD has been the sponsor.
- Another nurse has started the training for Ophthalmic Nursing in The Gambia. After one year she has to do her practicals and after that she hopes to continue her training as a cataract surgeon. Again FAD is the sponsor.
- As we stated before: Kissy Hospital is specialized in Children’s Eye Care. The specialist is Dr.John Mattia, with whom we have a close coöperation.
- FAD is involved in the purchase of drugs and other materials as far as they are not available in Sierra Leone.
MASANGA HOSPIAL, NORTHERN COUNTRY
- At this moment there is no resident eye doctor, but Dr.Henk and Maria assist on an ad hoc basis during their visits.
- Paulina Kaindo from Masanga has completed her training as an eye nurse in The Gambia with FAD sponsoring. After her practicals she hopes to returm to The Gambia for further training as a cataract surgeon, sponsored by FAD.
Education:
The school for Vocational Training, formerly known as GTZ, has changed her name into Waterloo Community Educational Centre: WAT-CEC. The compound has been largely cleared with the help of the local authorities and a fence has been constructed. There is an intention to increase the variety of training courses. At present the main courses are a Nurses Training and a training for Solar Tehnicians. FAD is highly involved in sponsoring of the students.
NURSES:
- Last July 15 nurses have passed their final exams and soon they will receive their Diploma’s. Maria and Richard were incidentally involved in their training. We have been visiting a few of them: Some are applying with institutiions, others have started small local clinics in their home towns.
The nurses almost finisched their education
- Last September 30 new students started their nurses training, sponsored by FAD. Dr. Berend produced a Manual on Anatomy and Physiology and performed a one week eduction on that subject with the resident teacher Mr. Sapunga Mansaray. First Aid Training involved artificial respiration/cardiac massage (“Basic Life Support”). Two dummies for practicing were donated.
- Spontaneous reaction from one of the students:
Dear Rev Karim,
Thank you very much for given us the opportunity for a better education. The lectures with Dr Berend was a blast. I enjoy myself and everybody understood the lessons the diagrams are clear and bright . We have learnt a lot this week from your friend. Thanks be to you, Dr Berend and all FAD sponsors may they live a long healthy life in Jesus name. FAD sponsorship has become a blessing to my life. Your lecturer’s too are hard work pateint and well trained. I appreciate all of your efforts of impacting on our life. Bless you all.🙏🫂💗👏😄
Your’s student
Linda N kargbo.
SOLAR STUDENTS
- In July 10 Solar Technicians have completed their training. We saw them installing panels on a chicken farm with proud!
Chicken farm
- Both in February and in September 10 new students have been enrolled.
All new students for solar engineering
Techinal Training
- In the north of the country (Makeni) another 10 pupils have been enrolled for training as plumber, electrician, mason or surveyor. Mr. Bendu, one of our former students has done the selection. He himself got a good employment as a surveyor and now he supervises the students on our behalf.
SPONSORSHIP:
- Francis Focko: completed training as a catarct surgeon, The Gambia, now internship. and Paulina Kainda: completed Ophthalmic Nursing, The Gambia, now practicals brought us a thank you.
Yatta Kamara: started Ophthalmic Nursing in The Gambia. and here in front of the school
- Aminata of SECOM: now in year 3 for Nursing, after completing she will be a candidate for Ophthalmic Nursing.
- All sponsored students have a bond to support FAD Eye Care in the coming years.
SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND, FREETOWN.
- Annual support by FAD for feeding and materials like typewriters.
-
Mr Turay, the principle of the school
Elementary School
- FAD gives support to an Elementary School, both for regular children and children who need special attention (mental disorders).
The “all inclusive school” children in donated shirts
HEALTH POSTS:
- Masuri, somehow in an isolated rural area: they transformed the one-time gift for drugs into a “revolving /cost recovery fund”. Donations in kind (mostly from Dutch Hospitals: disposables, dressing materials, clothing) have been delivered during our regular visits. A few times we were able to join a container.
The team of nurses in Masurie
- Kwama, the Ralph O’Shea hospital, quite a bigger medical post: Here also smooth running with sufficint drugs. Same procedure: cost recovery.
The stock of medicines donated by FAD
- In this Health Facility SECOM has his theatre for eye operations. Richard and Maria were involved in the trainig of staff.
Maria and Richard teaching the nurses in Ralph O’Shea Hospital
MICRO CREDITS
There are still some minor enterprises profiting from micro-credits:
- An Entertainment Centre
- Two Agric Projects
- A Printing Shop
The fish farm on one of the agricultural projects
Finally…..
We say a big “Thank You!” to all well wishers, sponsors, generous givers and supporters like the doctors and others.
We wish a very Happy and Peaceful New Year for alle Sierra Leoneans, for our Co-workers and Friends of the African Dream.
Berend, Wim, AKK, James, Bert and Beppie
