health
English woman and optometrist Jane Machin is raising money to fund the charitable trip with five others to Gulu on October 4th
08.08.12 - 11:35 -
Jane has been eager to help for many years. / SUR
Jane Machin will join five other UK based optometrists for the 17 day trip to the village of Gulu.
The English mum of four will help run outreach clinics for children as well as training local health care workers.
Organised by UK based charity Vision Aid Overseas, Jane must raise 1,500 pounds (1,915 euros) so that the charity is not out of pocket.
Jane, 54, who works at Optica Machin, Estepona, told SUR in English: "I have been a member of the charity since they started in 1985 and it's something I have always wanted to do but I had four children and a business to run so have never been able to get away."
"It's quite an exciting adventure and apart from all the vaccinations I have to have next month I'm really looking forward to it. We will be working in an outreach clinic and helping the local people by assessing their needs. We will also be teaching and monitoring local health staff so that they can look after themselves better."
Fundraiser
Jane has managed to raise around half of the money needed after a party at her house last month. Almost 100 people attended the fundraiser which had a raffle, DJs, food and a mojito bar provided by local chiringuito Sonora Beach.
Jane, originally from Essex, in the UK, who moved to Estepona in 1987, added: "Everyone's been really supportive and they've been queuing up to help me. I still need to raise a bit more but I'm almost there."
The charity was founded in 1985 after a group of British eye specialists spent two weeks trying to establish eye clinics in Tanzania.
They tested the eyes of local people and dispensed second-hand spectacles collected in the UK. The charity now operates clinics in more than 23 countries and has helped over 350,000 people to see with a pair of glasses.
