Burkina Faso
Community Based Rehabilitation
Five years ago, blind persons in the East of Burkina Faso still had to depend on mobile eye care teams from the capital or abroad. LIGHT FOR THE WORLD built an eye clinic in Zorgho and thus created a much needed facility for the Eastern regions of Burkina Faso. Today a local ophthalmologist and his team perform surgeries and go on eye care outreaches to remote areas. 1,853 cataract surgeries were performed in Zorgho and on mobile outreaches in 2009.
In order to bring sustainable eye care to the western regions too, LIGHT FOR THE WORLD supports the equipment and development of eye departments in Nouna and Koudougou.
To ensure the longevity of its work, LIGHT FOR THE WORLD cooperates with the Ministry of Health of Burkina Faso to train ophthalmologists and implement the National Programme for the Prevention of Blindness.
Education for children with disabilities
LIGHT FOR THE WORLD supports 5,244 children with disabilities in 7 Community Based Rehabilitation Programmes. In three school programmes, special education teachers help them to develop their skills and improve their future options. Since 2009, a school for blind and visually impaired children in Ouagadougou and another school for hearing impaired children in Bobo-Dioulasso are also among the programmes supported by LIGHT FOR THE WORLD.
In 2010 the focus will be in intensifying cooperation and exchanges of experience between the local programmes and to build a network for persons with disabilities.
Claudine - on her own two legs
Shortly after Claudine's birth her parents notice, that their youngest daughter is different. At age 3, Claudine is not able to sit up, let alone walk. Embarrased by the comments of their neighbours, they hide their child from prying eyes. But her father does not want to believe that nothing can be done for his sweet little girl. One day he carries her 10 km on foot to a LIGHT FOR THE WORLD rehabilitation centre. Sister Martine, the physiotherapist, starts to exercise with Claudine, strengthens her muscles and helps her to train her legs. Step by step, Claudine learns to sit up, stand up, even walk a short distance on parallel bars a fieldworker build for her. Her mother watches, feeling relieved and proud, as the little girl walks up and down her training device.
Claudine now does more and more each day. In a few years she will walk to the town school on her own little legs.