german
frenchOptic-project at St. Anne's Mission Hospital in Nkhotakota
In 2002 the optic-project started as a private development aid initiative of the master opticians Martin Mütsch (Klingenmünster) and Ralf Lorini (Ludwigshafen). The aim is an ophthalmic optical supply in the city and surrounding area of Nkhotakota by the establishment of an optical workshop, the training of domestic professionals and in the long-term the financial independence from donations and supply of material.
In November 2002 the establishment of a workshop at St. Anne's Mission Hospital started. The contact was made through the association "Hilfe für Malawi e.V." ("Help for Malawi, registered association") in Riedstadt. Equipment, machines and tools, used glasses, spectacle frames and raw glasses as well as necessary computer equipment and a specifically for this purpose developed stock-keeping system were shipped to Malawi in containers. Afterwards employees were qualified and regulations for the organizational on-site process were clarified. In the meantime all necessary machines, optical instruments and tools were brought into the workshop as well as a large supply of used glasses, new spectacle frames and raw glasses. The employees are now able to determine eye-glasses self-contained and to repair and grind grasses and they have command of a computer.
Our next aim was the construction of an independent ophthalmic optics workshop and the sponsorship of independency and sustainability of the project. Someday the employees shall be able to take over the glasses-project on their own responsibility.
Since that time a new building including a workshop, a sales room, an examination room, an office, storage, a waiting room and a staff-apartment has been constructed. The latter is necessary to link domestic personnel to this poor and remote area.
The whole new building cost 18.400 Euro, where of the BMZ (Ministry for Economic Co-operation) accepted costs of almost 14.000 Euro.
The project has been successfully completed.
Thank you very much for your kind support and donations!
Contacts:
Martin Mütsch, Klingenmünster
mail@fuersauge.de
Ralf Lorini, Ludwigshafen
ralf@brillenwerk.org