The 15th Annual Taveuni Eye Project has been rescheduled to 2022, at a date to be fixed as soon as international travel opens up. Intially deferred from 2020 to 2021, it has again been necessary to revise the timing due to the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Since 2005, the Rotary Club of Taveuni Island has been running the Taveuni Eye Project, the goal of which is to give sight to children and adults from remote rural areas of Fiji. The project, which is normally conducted annually, changes the lives of hundreds of the poorest Fijians each year by restoring their eye sight. The most recent project in 2019 resulted in the completion of 304 operations (mainly Cataract and Pterygium removals) during its intensive two-week period. In addition, 118 people completed eye and health checks that did not need any optical intervention, resulting a total of over 400 Fijians treated and given critical health advice and referral to their local medical teams.
This vital Rotary sponsored eye project is undertaken entirely by volunteers, including specialist doctors and nurses who travel from New Zealand, Australia (Melbourne and Tasmania), USA, Argentina and the Fijian Islands of Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, who are backed up by local and international volunteer workers, all at no cost to the patients. Training of local medical staff is a key component of the project.
The Rotary Club of Boronia has been an active supporter of the Taveuni Eye Project, principally through the efforts of Past President Peter Malden and wife Jan, since 2015. This has included Project Managment and logistical support, fundraising and the provision of materials and equipment.
For further insight, watch the following short videos:
- explaining the Taveuni Eye Project from a patients’ perspective and a child’s perspective;
- of a very happy Mary and another very happy patient as they have their first eyes uncovered at the Post Operation Review (Reveal) the day after their surgery;
- of a message from Mary and another grateful recipient; and
- of the Doctor revealing a very good result.
If you would like to support this very worthy cause, you can donate here.
2019 Medical Team
September 2021
