By Elizabeth Osayande 

A 600-level student of the Department of Optometry, University of Benin, UNIBEN, Clinton Okechukwu, is organising free surgeries for 20 residents in Makoko riverine community through the I-CARE campaign. 

The campaign set to hold in the first week of April will involve free screening for community members. 

Speaking exclusively with Vanguard, the current clinic president of his department,  and the social media director of R.E.T. I. N. A initiative, noted that his vision to give second chance to people with sight loss, informed his decision to organise the campaign. 

According to Okechukwu: “I envision creating a self-sustainable movement that gives a second chance to those who have lost their vision to cataracts, and this has led me to the I-CARE Campaign, an acronym for Initializing Cataract Awareness in Rural Environment, the project goals are to touch lives, inspire the next generation and to create a movement in the community and globally.

“This project will commence by creating a cataract awareness campaign and offering free cataract surgeries for more than 20 affected members of the Makoko community.

“While the free surgery is  targeted at those affected with cataract; the general campaign which will run from March unto May is opened to everyone, is aimed to create awareness, educate on the management and causes of cataract,  including risk factor. “He noted. 

On reasons for choosing to kick start the I-CARE campaign in Makoko, the project lead, H.E. A.L,  stated that his volunteering experience with an NGO in Makoko opened his eyes to the plight of people living in the slum. 

His words:” I have always wanted to create a positive change in my community and this I have done since 2019 through eye awareness campaigns. In my journey towards sustainable development, I volunteered in an eye clinic during the lockdown pandemic and came across a man who had cataracts in both eyes, but unfortunately for him, he had done the traditional method of cataract removal on one of his eyes which involved forcefully knocking the lens out, this led to series of complications and ultimately loss of vision.

“After my encounter with the man and coming across the people of Makoko Community, a community with the prevalence of cataracts, I decided I won’t let this cycle continue.

” And during the campaign in Makoko,  whose major source of livelihood is fishing, we notice that four out of 10 members of the community had cataract.  A move that has impeded on their livelihood due to loss of sight. 

“I decided to share my dreams which GreenHouse Pollinator and Global Changemakers choose to support my vision. Other partners are Adetula Opticals Eye Clinic, R.E.T.I.N.A  Initiative, Clinton’s Global Initiative University, Savvy fellowship.” He said.