Building on the success of last year’s project, which provided sight-restoring cataract surgery to 26 people, we aim to treat 50+ patients this year, for cataract and other operable eye conditions.
Across the semi-arid plains of Tanzania’s Northern Zone, tens of thousands of Maasai and other agro-pastoralist families live many kilometers from the nearest eye-care clinic. Intense equatorial sun glare off open grassland, dust, smoke from cooking fires, frequent lifestyle-related eye injuries, low uptake of modern health care and continued reliance on traditional eye remedies combine to make this population particularly vulnerable to cataract, eye infections, corneal scarring, and preventable vision loss. The opportunity cost of leaving livestock unattended reduces uptake where services do exist.
Building on the success of last year’s project, which provided sight-restoring cataract surgery to 26 people, we aim to treat 50+ patients this year, for cataract and other operable eye conditions. Across the semi-arid plains of Tanzania’s Northern Zone, tens of thousands of Maasai and other agro-pastoralist families live many kilometers from the nearest eye-care clinic. Intense equatorial sun glare off open grassland, dust, smoke from cooking fires, frequent lifestyle-related eye injuries, low uptake of modern health care and continued reliance on traditional eye remedies combine to make this population particularly vulnerable to cataract, eye infections, corneal scarring, and preventable vision loss. The opportunity cost of leaving livestock unattended reduces uptake where services do exist.
Limited functional literacy in some communities reduces awareness of treatment opportunities, and low female decision-making autonomy over spending can disproportionately burden women with vision loss and blindness.
The Rotary Club of Dartmouth will conduct our second annual ophthalmic surgery project in Tanzania in November, 2026. The project lead, Jan Rose, in partnership with Steve Martin from the Rotary Club of Njiro Arusha, in Tanzania, is busily planning and fundraising for this project. Jan joined Rotary after participating in several medical missions in Tanzania, specifically to continue supporting the communities she worked in through international projects and partnerships. Building on the success of last year’s project, which provided sight-restoring cataract surgery to 26 people, we aim to treat 50+ patients this year, for cataract and other operable eye conditions. Thus far, we have received a Rotary District Grant and donations from clubs in Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. We greatly appreciate this generous support. All optometrists, ophthalmologists and nurses hired to provide care during this project will be licensed and employed in Tanzania. The project will also allow ophthalmologists-in-training opportunities to practice their skills and gain some of the clinical experience required to become licensed.
Due to the high transportation costs associated with the isolated communities where we will be working, and the higher-than-expected need for ophthalmic services in this area, we are continuing to fundraise past our original goal. Our current funds will allow approximately 33 people to receive surgery and follow up care, with another $4000-$5000 needed to reach 20 more patients. Contributions can be sent to drcspingclassic@gmail.com, or donations for which tax receipts are provided can be made to the Rotary Club of Dartmouth Charitable Foundation through the Canada Helps website at: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/the-rotary-club-of-dartmouth-charitable-foundation/ .