DG JOSEPH KIWANUKA 411B 2012-2013: PDG/PMCC LION MAJID KHAN DELIVERS REMARKABLE SIGHT FIRST MESSAGE AT AMANI CLUB EYE AND DIABETES CAMP

SPEECH BY PDG / PMCC – ABDUL MAJEED KHAN AT EYE REFRACTION & DIABETIC CAMP ORGANISED BY LIONS CLUB OF DAR-ES-SALAAM AMANI AT SHREE HINDU UNION SECONDARY SCHOOL ON 17TH NOV, 2012

Dear Lion Leaders and Residents of Kijitonyama, I have great honour to stand in front of you to grace this magnificent event. An Amani Club event...... meant for the community.... to screen for Sight and Diabetes. I have also been privileged to open today’s camp and to make this occasion more befitting, I need to speak about the Club and the services being delivered by them and similar clubs worldwide.

Lions Club of Dar-es-Salaam Amani is one of the 7 Clubs in Dar es Salaam which was formed some 6 years ago. During this time, it has carried out remarkable projects that have proved its character and delivery. This Club is led by its charismatic leader President Lion Shofiuddin Babul.

For over 90 years, Lions Clubs worldwide are renowned to provide services and assistance of varied nature. Among the service delivered, Sight First has achieved an unparalleled target of reaching out to millions and having spent over 7 million USD.

Human Beings treasure their eyes more than any part of their body. The fear of turning blind is an anxiety to all. Blindness is a handicap that if a person suffers from, will make him a destitute and not be able to do anything worthwhile.

Apart from Lions and other organisations having carried out so much effort to alleviate sight related problems all over the world, there still is a need of concerted endeavour to fight this affliction.

Over 40 million people in this world are blind. Over 120 million people have eye related ailments. And there has been a Vision 2020 call to increase assistance in this direction otherwise the figures would simply double by the said time. Because of this primary reason, Lions all over the world have determined to provide useful support through their SIGHT FIRST Program decoded in Kiswahili as “UMUHIMU KWANZA NI MACHO”.

Lions Clubs are now relentlessly ensuring to prevent blindness and assist those who can be saved through immediate action. Many Clubs of Dar es Salaam and other regions are reaching out various corners of the country to provide this useful services.

I was advised by Lion Babul that this is a second camp in the same locality and due to high turn-out by residents previously, the Club decided to carry out one more camp. I am also pleased to learn that today you all would be screened, refracted, blood testing, counselled given medicines, spectacles and cataract surgery Free of Charge.

Therefore I am no doubt pleased with this endeavour and pride to become part and parcel of this wonderful undertaking. Therefore all residents registered today will be provided with the best medical services and those found in need of surgery will be taken to CCBRT Hospital.

With the above said, I now take this opportunity to declare this CAMP OPEN and convey my heartfelt appreciations to Amani Club members for this great work.

MUNGU IBARIKI TANZANIA, MUNGU IBARIKI AFRIKA.

LION ABDUL MAJEED KHAN

PDG / PMCC – M. D. 411

GMT – DIST. COORDINATOR – DIST. 411B
(Original speech in Kiswahili ---- This is a Translated version)

President Lion Babul welcomes residents of Makumbusho at the Health Camp and declares that it was carried out due to the best cooperation given by the Hindu Mandal Primary School and residents of the area. "Today we are determined to clear all the backlog, provide best services and request all residents that when they go back home, they should inform their neighbours on this Camp as we will remain open until late hours- today," said Lion Babul.
About 200 patients were screened and provided with necessary medication and spectacles while 7 cataract patients were recorded. They will be taken to CCBRT for Surgery on 20th November 2012.