News

Below there are short abstracts of the recent news of the work of LIGHT FOR THE WORLD - Christoffel Development Cooperation. Detailed articles are available in German language.

	MOZAMBIQUE - New steps in blindness prevention! Dr. Margarida Chagunda began her work at the eyeclinic in Beira in May. So far she is the second Mozambican ophthalmologist to leave the capital Maputo for a province! This is a very important step for LIGHT FOR THE WORLD: in its efforts to provide people with permanent eyecare, the training and appointment of local specialist staff is essential. Further information ...
	ETHIOPIA - Zelalem can walk again! When eight year old Zelalem lost her right leg in an accident with a horse cart, her world broke down. However, a therapy centre in Arba Minch, which works with the support of LIGHT FOR THE WORLD, provided her with a prosthesis and crutches. Now she can play and laugh with her friends! Further information ...
	UN Convention - Entry into force of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities On 3 May 2008, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities entered into force. This human rights instrument represents a milestone in the effort to promote and protect all human rights of persons with disabilities… Further information ...
	SUDAN - Blindness Prevention South Sudan is emerging from civil war, which had a profound impact on the health care resulting in nearly non-existing services for prevention of blindness. LIGHT FOR THE WORLD supports mobile units which are providing vital eye care services to the people of South Sudan. Furthermore LIGHT FOR THE WORLD is building a permanent eye station in Mapourdit. This is going to be the first in a region with a population of 1.8 million... Further information ...
	NORTHEAST INDIA - Community Based Rehabilitation LIGHT FOR THE WORLD is supporting "Community Based Rehabilitation"-Programmes (CBR) in the neglected states of North Eastern India. They are serving serving 800 children with disabilities. One of them is three year-old Gracefully, living in a small village of Meghalaya. She was lying alone in a corner, without social contacts and unable to move. Due to CBR-work, her family is hopeful that she might even attend school in the future... Further information ...
	EU - AFRICA STRATEGY including persons with disabilities "Africa and Europe are bound together by history, culture and geography as well as by a community of values: the respect of human rights, freedom, equality, solidarity, justice, the rule of law and democracy as enshrined in the relevant international agreements and in the constitutive texts of our respective Unions." LIGHT FOR THE WORLD has been actively involved in the process to ensure that persons with disabilities are included in this Strategy. As a result, the number of persons with disabilities receiving rehabilitation services and the number of children with disabilities obtaining primary education should considerably increase in the future... Further information ...
	Sister Organisation in the Czech Republic founded: SVĚTLO PRO SVĚT - LIGHT FOR THE WORLD, o.s. On 29 August 29 2007, the assembly of SVĚTLO PRO SVĚT - LIGHT FOR THE WORLD, o.s. met at the Karls-University in Prague and founded the new Czech sister organisation of the Austrian LIGHT FOR THE WORLD. Further information ...
	MOZAMBIQUE - Common action to combat blindness LIGHT FOR THE WORLD provides 4 eye departments in Mozambique with instruments and medical equipment, one of them is the eye clinic in Lichinga. Several months ago, the only "examination instrument" they had was an old, weak desk lamp. Today, people’s cataracts are operated on and their sight is restored ... Further information ...
	BURKINA FASO - Community Based Rehabilitation to support persons with disabilities Fatacé from Burkina Faso was born with a severely displaced right knee. He could not stand up or walk, and as a result his leg muscles deteriorated. Today he is 11 years old. With the support of the Community Based Rehabilitation Programme in Manga, he can walk, help in the household and even go to school... Further information ...
	UN-CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES It was not until December 2006 that the groundbreaking UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations. More than half of UN's Member States have signed the Convention... Further information ...
	ACTIVITY REPORT 2006/2007 In 2006, we could extend and deepen our work for people who have eye diseases, who are blind or who are otherwise disabled. Project expenditure increased by 12.3%. Among the projects supported by LIGHT FOR THE WORLD, approximately 30.000 cataract surgeries were performed in 2006 and approximately 10.000 children with disabilities were assisted and provided with rehabilitation services. Download the Activity Report as pdf
	EU signs new UN convention on the rights of people with disabilities The European Community signes the new UN treaty on disability rights, which will provide protection for 650 million people with disabilities worldwide, on its opening day for signature in New York. It will enter into force when ratified by 20 countries. Further information ...
	EC REPRESENTATIVES DECLARE THE IMPACT OF NEW UN CONVENTION ON DISABILITY RIGHTS FOR EC AND DEVELOPING COUNTRIES At a press conference, the UN, the EC and the disability and development NGOs set down the implications of the new UN Treaty on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities which is to be signed by the EC and Member States at an historic ceremony in New York on 30 March 2007. Further information ...
	Rays of light in the Blindness Prevention Program in Ethiopia Until recently, there was no ophthalmic infrastructure available for the people living in the region around Zewaye. Goal of the new eye-clinic in Zewaye is undertaking aboutr 1,500 trachoma surgeries per year and saving people from losing their sight forever due to the painful infection. Further information ...
	Escaping isolation:Education and integration for deaf children in Ethiopia Through inclusive education, 195 deaf children in Addis Abeba get the chance to be educated, to be socially integrated and to being able to communicate with their families and friends. One of them is seven year old Bethelehem. Further information ...
	Disability and Development NGOs call on EU and Member States to respect the terms of the new UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in their development policies. Over 20-21 November, a unique gathering of key decision makers and experts from the United Nations, the OHCHR, EU Member State Government officials, the EU institutions, the World Bank, disability NGOs (DPOs) and development NGOs, from the North and the South came together in Brussels. They met to reflect, for the first time, on how to go forward with implementation of new UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in way which will positively impact on the lives of persons with disabilities in developing countries. Further information ...
	MEPs and African MPs join hands in support of disabled people in Africa On 21 June 2006, as part of the APC-EU JPA, John Bowis MEP Chaired a meeting organized by LIGHT FOR THE WORLD which brought together Parliamentarians and Government representatives from across Africa, European Parliamentarians, including Karin Scheele MEP of Austria, and NGOs on the barriers to inclusion of disabled persons in Africa to the 10th EDF consultation process. Further information ...
	It's goog to see (again) A book making blind people see. A book full of 1000 Lomographic pictures. At the same time it saves eyesight. Because the book is sold for the benefit of the work of LIGHT FOR THE WORLD. Further information ...
	Eye clinic for 2,5 million people opened in Jimma Ther first patients already got back their sight. Apart from ophthalmic help, ophthalmologists and cataract surgeons are trained in Jimma.
	Battagram: Medical treatment in emergency clinic started. And the first children are born. 60 to 70 surgeries are carried through by now daily in the newly opened emergency clinic, the only weatherproof possibility to be medically provided for more than 400.000 people. Apart from the ophthalmic clinic patients are treated in an ortopaedic, a pediatric and a gynaecological department. And a few days before Christmas, the first baby was born healthy in the safe surroundings of the clinic.
	45 million children with disabilities in developing countries 90% of children with disabilities live in developing countries. Many of them die before they come to school age because of the circle of disability and poverty. An important part of the work of LIGHT FOR THE WORLD therefor is the social education on the reasons for disabilities, the integration of disabled people into all spheres of life, and the best promotion possible according to their special needs.
	Pilot project for the treatment of children with eye tumors in Beira/Mosambique Until recently, children suffering from eye tumors in Mosambique (as in most of the developing countries) could hardly be treated. Teams from the university hospital Graz (Austria) consisting of ophthalmologists and oncologists for children travelled to Beira, to the eye clinic that had been built up by LIGHT FOR THE WORLD, to check out the possibilities for treatment. And the first children already were operated.
	Emergency Clinic in Battagram, Pakistan, opened - six weeks sooner than expected Manuela Kräuter, Programme Officer, writes from Pakistan: " Great that we managed to build up a field hospital offering surgeries, rooms for patients, and that is equipped with medical instruments and supplies. The opening of our emergency clinic offers injured people and their families a chance to survive and hope."
	Emergency Clinic in Battagram, Pakistan, to be opened soon Within hours after the devastating earthquake, medical staff of the destroyed clinic that had been built by LIGHT FOR THE WORLD, took up their work again and treated patients. After a few days, tents were installed as operating theatres, laboratories etc. Now, the clinic will move into containers to guarantee medical care for patients during the coming cold winter season. The containers will be heated and have electricity. This will be the only weatherproof clinic in the region and so for 400.000 people.
	Programme for Onchzerkiasis Control in West Wollega, Ethiopia LIGHT FOR THE WORLD supports a broad programme for the distribution on Mectizan, the medicine against Onchozerkiasis, in the Ethiopian reagion West Wollega. As a consequence, hundred thousands of people will be able to live their lives without the consequences of this illness, terrible itching, skin diseases etc.
	Eye Clinic destroyed by earthquake In the North-East of Pakistan, in Battagram, LIGHT FOR THE WORLD has built up an eye clinic. On the average 150 cataract surgeries were performed there per month. During the terrible quake in the beginning of october, the whole building collapsed. Fortunately, all members of the staff and patients survived, but the work has to start from the very beginning again.
	Surgical flights: Eye sight for thousands of people Dr. Sture Nyholm and his wife Eunice have lived and worked in Kenya for many years. For more than seven years, Dr. Nyholm has performed surgical flights to the South of Sudan, where millions of people do not have any access to ophthalmic infrastructure. In the past year alone, Sture Nyholm has operated 8000 people on cataract under the most difficult circumstances and saved their sight.
	Ambitious Program for the Prevention of Blindness in Mozambique In Mozanbique, more than 150 000 people are blind, 80 000 are waiting for cataract surgery. But apart from the eye department in Beira, that was built by LIGHT FOR THE WORLD, there is only one more well equipped eye station out of the country's capital Maputo. In cooperation with the World Health Organisation, LIGHT FOR THE WORLD takes the initiative: Simple clinics will be built, specialists will be trained and material and instruments will be made available to support people with eye diseases.
	Education for hearing impaired children in India Without trainig, hearing impaired children can hardly communicate with their families and mostly do not have any chance of leading a self-determined life. Sister Merly Kizhakayil founded a center for hearing impaired children in Barapani, India. LIGHT FOR THE WORLD financed the construction and furnishing of the school buildung. There, hearing impaired children are educated, they receive language training and are trained in vocational skills.
	Support for disabled children and juveniles in Papua new Guinea In cooperation with the diocese Kiunga-Daru, LIGHT FORTHE WORLD is expanding a program which will turn the futures of many disabled people to the better: It comprises the training of rehabilitation experts, also in remote areas, treatment, rehabilitation and integration in school and social surroundings.
	Rehabilitation, Education and Integration of disabled orphans in Bolivia Bolivia is the poorest South American country. Particularly disabled people do not have any chance to lead a self-determined life. Casa Familiar supports disabled orphans, they get medical treatment, are educated and thus prepared for living their own lives.
	Sustainable prevention of blindness in the Ethiopian province Tigray In Tigray, the rate of blindness is as high as 1.5%. Cataract and TRachoma are the main causes for the loss of sight. LIGHT FOR THE WORLD supports one of the two clinics that are the only ophthalmic help for 3.2 mio. inhabitants of Tigray. These days, help is expanded to guarantee sustainable, effective support.
	Fighting Trachoma in Afar region, Ethiopia In Afar region in the north east of Ethiopia, 50% of the population are infected with Trachoma, a painful eye disease that leads to incurable blindness if untreated. Now there is hardly any ophthalmic infrastructure, only in the course of outreach activities people are examined and operated. LIGHT FOR THE WORLD started a broad programme to fight trachome, by financing preventive measures like education and water supply (building of wells etc).
	Partnership with two more eyeclinics in Mozambique In the hospitals in Pemba and Quelimane, ophthalmologists are ready to examine and operate patients, but many of the people seeking help have to be sent home because some of the medical equipment has broken in the course of the years, and the consumable supplies are used up. LIGHT FOR THE WORLD plans a lasting partnership, as a first step material is provided for.
	An eye clinic for 2.5 million people opened on december 14 LIGHT FOR THE WORLD built up an eye clinic in Burkina Faso, one of the poorest countries of the world. In the south-east of the country, where 2.5 million people did not have access to any ophthalmic infrastructure, the first patients were already operated.
	Flood in Asia: Tenthousands of people who are blind or otherwise disabled affected The floodwave has killed an incountable number of people in South-East Asia, and brought suffering and destruction in the lives of millions. Tenthousands of blind and otherwise disabled people are struck by the consequences of this catastrophe, and people with disabilities are particularly dependent on help. LIGHT FOR THE WORLD supports the rebuilding of facilities for these people.
	Ethiopia: Outreach-Programmes save eye-sight in the most far-flung regions LIGHT FOR THE WORLD supports Qiha-Eye Clinic in the north of Ethiopia. This clinic has established a well functioning outreach programme. In the country, ophthalmic support is highly needed, for many people do not have the possibility to undertake the travel to the eye clinic.
	Training of local Eye specialists in East Africa Still, there is only one eye specialist for about one million people in Africa. So LIGHT FOR THE WORLD focuses on the education of specialists to meet the enormous need. In Nairobi/Kenia and Moshi/Tansania doctors can receive the special education. Furthermore, LIGHT FOR THE WORLD supports the building of another operating theatre at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical College in Moshi/Tansania.
	Blind professors, helpful students On october 14, World Sight Day, prominents and students blindfolded 100 former professors at University of Vienna to turn people's attention to the situation of blind people in developing countries.
	Austrian President Heinz Fischer is patron of the AUSTRIAN INITIATIVE AGAINST BLINDNESS Heinz Fischer, President of Austria, welcomed a delegation of LIGHT FOR THE WORLD in his office for business talks. He had been supporting this organisation's initiative to fight blindness in developing countries for years; now he accepted to be its patron to raise people's awareness for the needs of blind people in the so-called Third World.
	Henry Wanyoike is back in Vienna Proudly, the blind Kenyan runner presents his two gold medals he won at the Paralympics in Athens. During the past days, Wanyoike was guest of honour at several celebrations in Nairobi. Now he is back in Europe to present his biography which has just been published by Herder. And to thank all his friends and fans for their support. Therefore, Wanyoikes first way in Austria lead him to Michael Buchleitner, who had guided him to his victory over 5.000 metres.
	Ruth Pfau - With the eyes of love For more than 40 years Ruth Pfau has dedicated her work and her life to the people suffering from leprosy in Pakistan. Now, the dispersion of that disease could be ceased. And Ruth Pfau chose blindness as the new challenge: She fights against the avoidable forms of blindness by using the medical infrastructure she built up during the past decades. Visiting Vienna, she talked about the new task and about the book about her work which had been recently published.
	The Austrian-Kenyan partners win paralympic gold medal Michael Buchleitner guided the blind Kenyan Henry Wanyoike to the victory over 5.000 metres. The Austrian-Kenyan partners who want to turn people's attention to the needs of blind people living in the underprivileged regions of the world, did not only win, they also set up a new world record.
	Surgical Flight: 424 eye surgeries in Somaliland were undertaken by Kenyan team Twice a year, a team from Kikuyu Eye Clinic, Kenya, consisting of ophthalmologists, cataract surgeons and assistants is flying to Somaliland to perform eye surgeries on patients who hardly have any other access to ophthalmic assistance in their region. This time, 424 patients were operated.
	School for Blind is provided with teaching material The Centre for the blind and visually impaired children and youth is the only such institution in Bosnia and Herzegovina. And therefore the only chance for the impaired children to receive an education adjusted to their needs. There is a lack in teaching material, because the production, especially of books in Braille, is very expensive. LIGHT FOR THE WORLD finances the fabrication to ensure efficient lessons for the children.
	2,3 Million Euro for people who have eye diseases, are blind or otherwise disabled in the underprivileged regions of our world During the first six month of 2004, LIGHT FOR THE WORLD provided its project partners with 2,3 mio Euro to initiate or continue programs in the field of prevention and cure of blindness, rehabilitation of people with disabilities, prevention of disabilities and advocacy for the rights of disabled people.
	Grant Contract signed with the EU Backdated to january 1 2004, the EU signed the grant contract "Improving the Quality of Life of disabled people in Tanzania". Target groups are people living in poverty who are disabled as well as their families and the people who look after them. So, mainly women and children in the peripheral areas of Dar es Salaam are going to be affected.
	Building an eye-clinic in Jimma, Ethiopia LIGHT FOR THE WORLD supports the upgrading of an eye-clinic in the south of Ethiopia. Now, the only operating theatre is not bigger than 4 m2. Furthermore the lack in eye-specialists, doctors, nurses etc. is dramatic. In the region around Jimma, there is one ophthalmologist for about ten million people. Therefore in addition to new rooms for medical work, an educational program including library and lecture rooms will be established in the new hospital.
	Christoffel-Blindenmission presents its new name: LIGHT FOR THE WORLD Vienna, June 14 2004. Christoffel-Blindenmission presents its new name: LIGHT FOR THE WORLD stands for the committed and effective work for people who have eye diseases, are blind or otherwise disabled in the underprivileged regions of our world.
	José Feliciano approves our work After a stirring concert in Vienna, Austria, José Feliciano talked to managing director Rupert Roniger and member of the board of LIGHT FOR THE WORLD Peter Rettinger, approving the work of the Austrian NGO with the words: "Really good."