Restoring sight in Rwanda: good news from UK Aid Match grant holder CBM

Velena was a dedicated farmer, growing her own crops which fed her children and grandchildren. But over time she noticed her sight begin to fade, and this affected her ability to work and provide food for her family.

“I used to be a farmer, but because I started to lose my sight, I cannot work anymore.”

Cataracts and refractive errors are the leading causes of blindness and visual impairment in Rwanda, and with access to eye health services they can easily be treated. Unfortunately for people like Velena, who live in rural areas, the distance to specialist hospitals is often too far and expensive, and they can end up blind simply because they cannot afford the journey.

This is where CBM come in. Through their four-year UK Aid Match project ‘See the Way’, together with their partners Kabgayi Eye Health Unit and the Catholic Diocese of Kabgayi in Rwanda, they have supported over 35,000 people with vital eye health care services and performed cataract surgery restoring sight for 1,994 people.

The project has trained 131 medical staff across four districts with skills to identify and treat patients, and has provided vital equipment to support eye health service provision. Outreach services have also been strengthened, with specialist eye-care staff travelling to communities, so that patients do not have to travel long distances for treatment.

Photograph: Dr Theophile meets a woman overjoyed to have had successful cataract surgery.

In addition, CBM focus on removing barriers that people with disabilities might face when accessing healthcare. The project supported adaptations in four district hospitals to become more accessible, for example, installing ramps and training key personnel in Sign Language. The project has also provided training for hospital staff to equip them with skills and confidence to identify disability in patients (and carers), and to support them with more targeted care. This will help build a sustainable base for treatment to continue in the future.

Thanks to sight-saving surgery Velena’s story has a happy ending. Her sight has been restored and she is back on her farm, doing what she loves best, and supporting her family. 

Photograph: Velena in her village

To find out more about CBM and their eye-health work, visit their website page. You can also listen to this podcast episode where we spoke to CBM about supporting and improving disability inclusion in project implementation.

*Please note this podcast episode addresses themes of sexual and gender-based violence, which may be upsetting or triggering for listeners*

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) sexual and gender-based violence is rife and often used as a weapon of war.

SCIAF are the official relief and development agency of the Catholic Church in Scotland and have been working in the DRC since 2001, supporting women and girls who have been affected by sexual and gender-based violence.

In our latest podcast episode, we spoke to Louise Joyce, lead for the UK Aid Match programme at SCIAF and Thérèse Mema Mapenzi, Director of Centre Olame in the DRC (SCIAF’s partner) about their recently completed UK Aid Match project.

During this episode Louise and Thérèse share SCIAF’s six-pillar approach to sexual and gender-based violence which includes supporting survivors with medical care, trauma counselling and legal support, as well as looking at ways to prevent sexual and gender-based violence in the future. We also hear from Rachel Mwinja Nyakadekere, Community Animator at Centre Olame, who reads out a story from a survivor who has established her own sewing business, and a story from a participant in the project who has become a role model for positive change in her community.

Listen in to the podcast episode to learn how SCIAF implemented their six-pillar approach, how they challenged harmful gender and social norms, and their key learnings and reflections for other organisations who are thinking of working with survivors.

Extract from podcast

“So as part of our six pillar of prevention, we trained youth, local and mixed-faith leaders, and they became key influencers for change at the individual household and societal level amongst their peers and within their community structures. The training covered theoretical and practical aspects of leadership, human rights, as well as promoting gender equality and positive masculinity. It’s very important to include men and boys who are part of the solution.”

Listen to the podcast in full on YouTube.

For women living in Mali, there are fewer opportunities to earn income, as they often have less access to resources, formal education and jobs. Most women depend on their land for income – growing and selling food for their families. But climate change and gender injustice (men are usually in charge of the land rights) makes it difficult for women to live off their land and feel empowered.

This is where Tree Aid has come in. They have recently completed a three-year UK Aid Match project, equipping women with the tools and training they need to boost their income, restore their land and have greater understanding of their rights.

Over 1,000 women from 10 different villages were supported in setting up sustainable businesses, learning vital skills from soil conservation to beekeeping to producing products like shea butter and soap.

Sitan, who lives in South Western Mali, has been part of the project since 2020, which brings women together to process and sell forest products like balanites (dates) and shea butter. She has been trained in land management techniques such as water and soil conservation, crucial for growing food in Mali’s drylands. And Sitan has taken part in community initiatives such as public speaking training and the village savings and loan association, giving her confidence and making her feel valued.

“I play an important role in the community, because being a woman here means hard work and courage.” 

Photograph: Sitan tending to her crops. Credit: Tree Aid

The project also delivered gender equality workshops for men and women in the communities, resulting in 58 women incorporated into natural resource management monitoring brigades. Traditionally men’s roles, the newly trained brigades are equipped with bikes, torches and boots, and supported to protect their forest area from attempts at deforestation.

The project has increased average household incomes by 171%, and reports indicate those participating women have been able to amplify their voices, making important decisions about their land and lifting their families out of poverty.

Photograph: Some of the women’s group standing together on the land. Photo credit: Tree Aid

Find out more about the project and it’s impact in empowering women by taking a look at Tree Aid’s project update on their website.