Monday, March 1, 2010

Sight Screening in Botswana



FEBRUARY!!!!!!!!!!!

What a month it was for Lions Clubs in Botswana. Sensational and unimaginable.......

The District Governor, District 412 had earlier in a conversation with the Management of the SPAR Group expressed a desire to work in tandem with them to do something to benefit the community. An agreement was worked upon and SPAR group offered to assist the Lions Clubs in nine locations to conduct sight screening where there existed a Lions Club as well as a SPAR Supermarket. The modalities were worked out and Presidents of the respective Lions Clubs were informed.

This sight screening brought Lions in Sight and at each of the nine locations Lions Clubs members were overwhelmed by he turnout of numbers. SPAR had offered free of cost 1500 reading glasses to be distributed to the first 150 patients at each of the nine locations. Lions Clubs members were to carry out the sight screening with the assistance of willing volunteer optometrists. SPAR also looked after the volunteer Lions and Optometrists by providing them snacks and drinks.

What no one imagined was the number of people who would come for the sight screening. At all locations reports were that people had started queuing from as early as four and five o' clock so that they would be among the first 150 to receive the free eyeglasses. The number of people registered at each of these locations exceeded six hundred and the maximum screening that could be carried out varied from 300- 400. At most locations either a Minister or Mayor was present to inaugurate the opening of the Sight Screening.
All this was very well but to control and manage the crowd the Lions had to display a good sense of humour and bring all man managemnt skills to practice. It was a great learning experience and from lessons learned Lions vowed to be able to conduct it better the next time.
Approximately about 6000 old, young, male, female, students some almost unable to even read the first letter and members of the community with all sorts of eye problems were screened. Of course those with refractive errors and eye problems were advised to visit the hospital eye clinics and those who wre lucky to be among the first 150 received free of cost a pair of reading glasses.

The lion members heaved a great sigh of relief at the end of the day as in some situations there was practically no shelter from the sun and many even sacrificed the time to forego lunch so that the sight screening could go on uninterrupted.

All in all this was a win win situation for both partners as Lions were visible and seen with the community and for SPAR they were seen fulfilling their Corporate Social Responsibility.

Partnerships like this one helped the Lions in Botswana to be visible and also proved that they were playing their role in achieving one of the principles of Vision 2016 that of "A Compassionate, Just and Caring Nation".

Saturday, December 19, 2009

Christmas Cheer


Wednesday, November 25, 2009


Its that time of the year when children await the long christmas holidays. Everybody is talking of how they are going to spend their vacation. It is also important to spare a thought to the many disadvantaged , disabled children and children with special needs. The Lions Club of Lobatse decided to bring cheer into the lives of 30 such children and their dedicated bunch of teachers. It was impossible to think of doing anything without their assistance. So, the school which is an inclusive school brought the children in their school bus to Cumberland Hotel which is one of our landmarks in Lobatse. The ambience is very appealing as it has a good lawn area and big old trees in the compound. This was an ideal place to get these children and give them and their teachers a change from their normal routine of a classroom. I must also mention that Cumberland is an environmentally friendly hotel as they have installed a Biogas plant and they generate cooking gas from the kitchen waste and this provides them with enough gas for about four hours.The children arrived and members were busy pumping air into plastic balls for distribution. Our banners were put up to welcome them and we all sat under the shade of a big tree. The children entertained us with song and dance and this was amazing because even with the disability they suffered from whether Down's syndrome or Cerebral Palsy they were giving their best. This brought a thought into the minds of members and each one said a silent prayer to thank the Lord for the benefits they had. The song and dance continued with members joining in the fun and the party was a blast.A slice of Pizza, french fries, chicken drumsticks, Sandwiches, Meat balls and juice was provided to all our guests and the children were the ones who really enjoyed it all.All of this took nearly three hours and then we had to bid the children goodbye as it was time for them to go home. But not before the Head Teacher expressed her appreciation to the members of the club and one of the children ,the one suffering from Cerebral Palsy gave a vote of thanks. Now wasn't that the best expression of gratitude the club members could have received !!Finally the Club President now distributed all the gifts to the children and a certificate and a christmas present to the staff.That was a day to remember and appreciate and care for another human being less fortunate than ourselves. WE SERVE.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

World Sight Day















October 8th 2009. World Sight Day.


The Lions Club of Lobatse annually celebrates this day(World Sight Day 08 October ) by conducting an activity related to reducing blindness. This year the members decided to visit cataract patients at the Eye Clinic of the Athlone Hospital. Lion Charles looks after the clinic and that makes it convenient to assist the clinic. The patients who had undergone Cataract Surgery were to have their bandages removed on that Thursday and this fitted in well with the club's intention of celebrating World Sight Day. Seven of the club members were present and there were eleven patients.
The Club President Lion Regina William spoke to the patients about us Lions and who we were and what we did. As the bandages were removed the President Lion Regina William assisted by other club members distributed a blanket and a packet with goodies to each of the patients.
WHAT A SIGHT IT WAS, BOTH TO THE PATIENTS WHO COULD NOW SEE AND TO US LIONS WHO COULD CELEBRATE WITH THE PATIENTS AND BE IN SIGHT.