Eye On Sight Newsletter Q1 2011

E Y E O N S I G H T

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A Quarterly Newsletter

Surviving - Against All Odds From the Desk of .... Living in
Making strides in
In this our ﬁrst issue - darkness
Guyana..

2010
The day was similar to any CEO Arvel Grant but not
other for Juliette. Little did she shares his vision for the daunted
know that in a moment her life year ahead “What I
would be changed in an Page 2 really feel
instant. - Cover Story cause the blindness is
Highlights that I was supposed to
use drops in the eyes.
Most times when I
went to the hospital I
Page 3 Page 2 didn’t get them” said
Alfred Rogers
Page 3

On this day, Juliette got off the bus and

Surviving - walked by KFC in the Rodney Bay Mall ,
she was caught off-guard as Joseph
jumped out of nowhere with a cutlass

Against All which he used to chop her all over her
body with severe blows to her eyes, nose,
ears and hands.

Odds .... In ICU

(Juliette’s Tale) Following the attack, Juliette was taken
to Victoria Hospital by ambulance where
Juliette Mauricette and her son she was treated and admitted to the
The day was similar to any other for Intensive Care Unit for one month.
twenty six (26) year old Juliette
Mauricette, as she made her way to work The news of the gruesome attack sent
on the morning of Friday June 12, 2009. activities at her working place - a shock waves across the island.
Little did she know that in a moment her restaurant located in Rodney Bay, St In December 2010, we visited Juliette at
life as she knew it for over twenty years Lucia. She also had a new outlook on life, her home in the village of Canaries
would be changed in an instant. having recently separated from what was located on St Lucia's West Coast. Along
reported to be abusive relationship with with Anthony Avril, from the St Lucia
Juliette, a mother of three was in a jovial her boyfriend and father of her children, Blind Welfare Association, (SLBWA)
mood and looked forward to the days Matha Joseph. Juliette invited us in and shared her
story.

www.eyecarecaribbean.com
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E Y E C A R E C A R I B B E A N
"It happened when my ex-boyfriend attacked cannot open or close it. It is very painful, if
FROM THE me with a cutlass, and from the day he somebody tries to touch it, I feel a shock pain.
DESK OF THE attacked me the cutlass took my eyes.... I There are many things I can't do on my own ,
didn't see anything again. I remember when I that's when I start to remember when I had
CEO.... went to ICU and they put the eye pads on my my sight. (Then) I didn't have to depend on
eyes and when they took them off I could not anyone, I could come and go as I wanted to"
see. I remember when the Doctor didn't break she lamented.
the news to me, he only said he was going to
transfer me to the Blind Welfare Association. Juliette then removed her sunglasses for a
I said me? It was a lot. I can remember when closer to reveal her eyes.
someone from the Blind Welfare Association
This year 2011, came to visit me in the “The cutlass took out my eye completely,
marks the 100th Hospital that it was hanging, so I have nothing in my
anniversary of the afternoon, I didn't left eye. In my right eye, the eyeball
Caribbean-wide initiative of the late want to have anything remains but I can see nothing from it”
JAMES AUGUSTUS ALVES, to to do with her"
establish formal work with and for The Road to Recovery
persons who are blind. In 1911, Mr.
Alves (1883 – 1969) was born in According to Anthony Avril, the road
Released from Hospital
Berbice, Guyana. towards recovery will not be a smooth
But shortly after being released from the one for Juliette.
He travelled throughout the English- Hospital, Juliette visited the St Lucia
speaking Caribbean, seeking to Blind Welfare Association. “Even to use a computer, she relies on her
convince political, business and civic hands, when you are blind, your fingers
leaders, of the need to establish "When I got to the Blind Welfare I did feel become your eyes, we call them the seeing
programmes of services for the blind. different, I got encouragement from the staff, fingers. It's a challenge for her but she is
they told me that it's okay, its not to the end strong” he said
Eventually, he decided to focus on of the world, I still have my life. I live with it
Trinidad. In a feat showing initiative everyday , it is still frustrating but I don't Concerning her ex-boyfriend and father
and determination, the indefatigable make it a big issue. It's not as frustrating as of her children, Matha Joseph, he was
James Alves travelled across the when it just happened" sentenced to seven years in prison.
island by horse-drawn carts and With encouragement from members of the Juliette admits that she is terrified just
train, collecting data about persons Association, she then began to take baby steps thinking of the day he will be released
who were blind. At the end of the towards adjusting to blindness. However While confessing to bouts of
survey, he found five hundred and there was a setback as Juliette found out that depression and even
thirty-three persons; (533), two she was pregnant once again."I am not contemplating suicide,
hundred and forty-six males (246) working right now, I was taking training at Juliette who is now twenty
and two hundred and eighty-seven the Blind Welfare, but I am now pregnant , it eight (28) remains hopeful
females (287); and, including eleven makes me tired, frustrated, I always want to and refuses to be! daunted.
(11) children. lie down, but after the baby I will start taking She looks forward to the
my Computer Classes seriously" future and the birth of her
APPROACHES child.
COLONIAL Seated on her bed and in an advanced
SECRETARY
state of pregnancy, "Before this happened, I had a good life. There
Armed with the she opened up are a few things that I desire right now, such
results of the about her injuries as a comfortable home or even a room for a
survey, and with by removing her person who is blind. Probably I would also
letters of support glasses and like to have a job one day. Something that
from the Royal showing the could suit my situation. To be independent in
Normal College and Academy of damage done to my home and to be independent financially,
Music for the Blind and Lady Frances her hands. once again"
Campbell (an advocate of training for But until everything falls in place, I will
the blind in the U.K.), Mr.Alves "I have very little use of my right hand. I lost continue to be strong, I have to be strong”
my thumb. My left hand - is of no use, I she said.

2
www.eyecaribbean.com

MAKING STRIDES - Living in
2010 ights
Highl
OPTOMETRY
DEGREE LAUNCHED darkness but
not daunted
In a move that has been hailed as
•The Caribbean was affected by one Alfred Rogers was seated
a breakthrough in the
of the most devastating natural on a stool next to a tiny
development of skilled eye
disasters when a 7.0 magnitude wobbly wooden structure
health workers in the region, the
earthquake struck Haiti on January that was laden with an
degree course in Optometry
12th leaving the capital, Port -au- assortment of snacks. A
came into being at the University
Prince, the densely populated areas of handwritten sign placed
Petionville, Carrefour, Delmas and of Guyana in August 2010.
just behind the stall read.
other surrounding districts in ruins.
The Haitian Society for the Help of The programme which was the
“Kindly assist this blind
the Blind (SHAA), a CCB Member culmination of a long-running
man's stand - Alfred
Agency, not only suffered severe campaign by the Caribbean
Rogers"
damage to its offices, but also lost Council for the Blind (CCB) came
members, families and friends to the about in an effort to help bring
disaster. For over 40 years, Alfred
the ratio of eye care
CCB and Sightsavers worked with was like any other sighted
professionals closer to
SHAA to provide short-term relief to person, active in his
acceptable international
clients (of SHAA) who are blind or community and had a
standards.
visually impaired and assistance to steady job.
As a result CCB partnered with
secure alternative office space, re-
the University of Guyana, to
establish administrative structure and But one day in 2001 –
resume its programmes. launch a 4-year Bachelor of
Glaucoma, the thief of
Science Degree in
sight-robbed him of his
•With the help of Sightsavers, CCB Optometry. Today the course of
vision.
and several of its partners secured study includes students from The
funding from the European Commonwealth of Dominica;
It was a hot December
Commission for a Project, “Promoting Guyana; Haiti, Jamaica and
Vision 2020 to eliminate avoidable afternoon in 2010 when we
St. Lucia.
blindness through capacity building”. ventured into the village of
In addition to the BSc in
The funding of Euro 4,000,000 or Agricola, three miles outside
Optometry the University of
73.66%, over a period of five years, of the capital of
Guyana also offers the Certificate
beginning in 2010, together with co- Georgetown.
in Refraction Techniques, and an
funding from Sightsavers, will enable
CCB to deliver the following: Associate Degree in Optometry . This is the area Alfred calls
(page 5) (page 6)
home. (page 4)

3

Living in darkness but not While fiercely independent in his own
daunted..... Today Alfred not only runs his small surroundings Alfred fears being alone
business, he proudly revealed that he and the possibility of having to
"In 2001 I was working at a company, can wash, cook relocate from Agricola.
while at work we had a morning session and clean. He
which was good, I had lunch and then is also “I don't have the training yet to move
went to lie down. When I got up my guardian to in areas that I don't know yet, so it
eyes started to get hazy. From then on his twelve would be difficult if I have to move.
they send me home. The Doctor told me year old (12) Eventually if I get into a new
it was Glaucoma and they started niece and environment I would have to start
treating me from then on” eight (8) year old nephew. learning it all over again. I may have to
move from here and that would break
The diagnosis came as a shock, after “ I didn't live around anyone who my heart, it don’t know where to go, I
all, like so many others stricken with was responsible for me. So I had to take don't think I would have the children
Glaucoma, there are no symptoms care of myself. As a matter of fact the again and then I would be all alone.
and in an instant your world is people I live around I am responsible for When you're blind you can't live on
enveloped in darkness. them. I have my niece and nephew, they your own. That is the one thing that
rely more on me than I rely on them. So bothers me when I think about the day
Alfred believes that the lack of the I have to keep active and try everything when I have to move”
prescribed eyedrops used to treat for myself. Everything depends on me. I
Glaucoma resulted in the rapid have to live with it. If I'm washing,I But in spite of the challenges he had a
deterioration of his vision. don't know if I washing clean or not but message for those faced with the
I just have to deal with it.” possibility of losing their sight to
“What I really feel cause the blindness Glaucoma.
is that I was supposed to use drops in The process of rehabilitation is not
the eyes. Most times when I went to the always easy. While Alfred has “The situation is not something easy
hospital for the drops I didn't get them. managed the routine daily tasks, to live with, you have to understand
They would give a prescription for me to there is one aspect of adjusting to that because you're not seeing
get the drops outside. After a time I blindness that is a challenge. That of anymore. You have to change your
didn't have any money to buy them and mastering the use of his cane. With lifestyle. The first thing you have to do
so by missing the drops I eventually got the assistance of Adjustment to is to accept it and if you accept it,
blind” Blindness specialist, Nicole Forde prepare to live with it. If you don't
from the Caribbean Council for the accept it there can be problems, you
So he did the next best thing – and Blind (CCB), Guyana office, Alfred might even feel like ending your own
prepared for the inevitable. continues to progress. life...but then remember life has to go
on, it must go on. Don't ever get
“So even before I got totally blind, I “The frustrated.”
prepared, I started changing my entire difficult
Video of Alfred Roger’s story
style towards life, I started to adjust, so part is
when I got blind it wasn't all that moving
strange to me. One of the things I around
started doing was to blindfold myself in on the
the house and start to move around. I streets
was thinking that if I became totally by
blind I would not be too frustrated” myself, so Nicole has helped me with
that part and how to maneuver. I try to
“I also asked myself if I could live with practice, in the yard or around the area, "http://www.youtube.com/embed/EcbeigjvmyY"
my new situation and the answer was I'm getting accustomed to it but it's
yes. Once you have life there is always hard, it's really hard.”
hope”

4

• In keeping with its work •In an effort to enhance Vision 2020
2010 Highlights (cont’d from pg 3)
programme for the implementation Services in Antigua and Barbuda, a
I. To reduce the prevalence of of the EC project, a Team from the CCB Secretariat Team made a
blindness and visual impairment CCB Secretariat conducted presentation to Prime Minister
amongst rural and poor populations technical visits to Project Partners Baldwin Spencer and his Cabinet in
in the Caribbean. in Guyana, St. Lucia, Jamaica and September. The meeting focused on
II. Strengthen collaboration and Haiti during the year. The visits the implementation of a collaborative
coordination between State and Non- were geared towards assisting the Project for the provision of quality
State Actors at regional and national partners with activities outlined in and affordable Eye Health Services, in
level to support effective the project. the twin-island State. Following
implementation of programmes for intensive discussions, Cabinet has
the provision of inclusive services to •In order to familiarise herself agreed to study the proposal and
support effective implementation of with projects supported by communicate its decision to the
programmes for the provision of Sightsavers in the Caribbean, Secretariat
inclusive services to persons who are Director of International
blind or visually impaired. Programme Operations with •On November 19th, CCB held its
Sightsavers, Adelaide Addo-
The specific objective is to build the first Executive Committee Meeting
Fening, visited Antigua and St.
capacity of Partners and Vision 2020 utilising the Conference Bridge
Lucia during the period August
Committees in Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica operated by LIME. Hosted by the
and St Lucia. 9th to 13th, 2010. The main Secretariat, Executive Members in
purpose of the visits to CCB Guyana, Jamaica, The Bahamas, St.
Secretariat (Antigua) and St. Lucia Lucia and Antigua discussed
•In its continuing effort to promote Blind Welfare Association pertinent issues without meeting face-
social inclusion, the West Indies (SLBWA) was to meet members of to-face, a viable option given the
Cricket Staff and develop an rising cost of air travel.
Council for understanding of both
the Blind Organisations, their Membership
(WICCB) and Programs. •CCB continues to strengthen it
successfully partnerships with: Sightsavers, ICEE,
organised PAHO, IAPB, HelpAge International,
its 5th •In its quest to increase the Corps
ORBIS International and CARIOA
Regional of Youth Leaders in the Region, the
through the Annual Meeting of
Tournament CCB Secretariat hosted a
International Non-Governmental
during the Leadership Development
Organisations Collaborating Group
period June 5th to 13th, with Workshop for Persons with Visual
(INGO-CG) held in Jamaica on
participating National Teams : Impairment at the University of the
West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, December 1st, 2010. One of the
Barbados, Jamaica, the Windward
Barbados, between July 26th and outcomes of the Meeting was an
Islands and Trinidad and Tobago.
29th, 2010. The main Facilitator, Dr. undertaking by IAPB to provide some
Additionally, the Council hosted an resources to facilitate an Advocacy
Aubrey Webson (Program
International Series beteen an Workshop and Reception for
Coordinator/Snr. Consultant,
Australian and the West Indies Teams Stakeholders in Guyana, in tandem
Perkins International Development
from June 15th to 19th, 2010. Both Program), was supported by Arvel with the 2011 Meeting, scheduled for
Tournaments were held in Barbados. Grant (CEO – CCB-Eye Care Guyana.
Caribbean), Senator Kerryann Ifill,
and two Guest Speakers drawn
In the Regional Tournament, Jamaica
from the Public and Private Sectors
won both the Challenge Trophy and
of Barbados. Dr.Gavin Henry
the League Cup; while in the
At the conclusion of the Workshop, of Mandeville
International Series, both the One Day
Participants established a Group, Eye Clinic -
International (ODI) and the first Jamaica,
“Youth Network for examines a
Game of the T/20 Series were won by
Empowerment, Advocacy and patient
the West Indies Team (the second
Action”, and have created a Social
match of the T/20 Series being
Media link to facilitate contact
abandoned due to rain).
and interaction.
5

Making strides (cont’d from pg3)
From the desk of the CEO... Elimination of Avoidable Blindness
(cont’d from pg 2) (Now Vision 2020 – The Right To Sight).
At the launch of They were so impressed with his Human Resource Development.
the degree findings that the Colonial Secretary Our work over the years has led to the
program in requested the Executive Council training and placement of
Guyana in (Governing Council) by way of a motion Ophthalmologists in: Guyana, Belize and
February 2010, in the Legislature, to give support to a most of the countries in the Eastern
Guyana's Health scheme for the education and training of Caribbean.
Minister Leslie persons who were blind. We have also trained nurses and other
Ramsammy said the primary health care workers.
preservation of sight throughout the
Motion approved
Caribbean must be a public health
In 1913, (the exact date is unknown), the
priority.
Legislative Council approved a motion Capacity building, advocacy and
for the establishment of a scheme for the
"It is a matter of fundamental human fund-raising
instruction of the blind in Trinidad and
rights, unfortunately sight preservation, This is a most important area of our
Tobago. The meeting later took the
prevention of sight loss , the provision of work. Over the years, support by
decision to commence preliminary work
services to those who live with visual National Governments, has been
for the blind on May 18th,1914.
impairments have been neglected supplemented with inputs from Private
(www.eyecarecaribbean.com/
challenges on the developmental agenda” Individuals; Development
Jamesalves)
he said Organizations; the Business Sector and
Bilateral and Multilateral Organizations.
According to CCB-Eye Care
Service programmes established
Over the next 50 years, The countries of As the national, regional and global
Caribbean’s CEO, Arvel Grant, it is
the English-speaking Caribbean, economic realities become more difficult,
now anticipated that in 2014 , fifteen
followed the lead of Trinidad & Tobago, children and adults who are blind,will
new Optometrists will be graduating.
and established service programmes find them selves in greatest need of
catering to persons who are blind. support from all sectors of society.
“The English-speaking Caribbean needs at
In 1967, organizations (serving persons
least six hundred Optometrists to equate
who are blind in the Caribbean) Eye On Sight, is part of our effort to keep
Optometric standards currently obtained
convened, to form the Caribbean you informed about the realities of the
in Britain and Australia” he said.
Council For The Blind (CCB). Since 60,000 persons who are blind in the
then CCB (with support from: English-Speaking Caribbean; the more
In looking toward the future, CCB-Eye
SightSavers, ORBIS UK, CNIB, HKI and than 180,000 persons who are severely
Care Caribbean plans to enter into
Perkins International, ICEE, PAHO- visually impaired; and the more than
similar arrangements with more
WHO and CBM) coordinated, funded three million citizens, who need to wear
universities across the Caribbean, to
and (otherwise) facilitated extensive prescription glasses or contact lens, in
help fill the overwhelming gaps in
developments in: eye health, inclusive order to see normally.
service in the region's eye health
education adjustment to blindness and
capabilities.
capacity building, advocacy and
fundraising.
L-R Arvel Grant
One of our most successful feats of (CEO), Keva
Richards (CCB)
advocacy is the inclusion of questions in Nurse Joyce Gooden
the regional census, which counts (Mandeville Eye
persons who are blind in each Clinic-Jamaica)
community.

Much of our work has been influenced
by the World Health Organisations
Jamaica Society for the Blind Headquarters (WHO) Global initiative For The
! !

6

Our Mission, Our
Purpose, Our Goal.... “Eye On Sight” will cover
developments, services, updates and
Our purpose is preventing blindness and plans by the Organisation, its Member
Agencies and Partners across the
visual impairment while restoring sight and
Region.
creating opportunities for persons whose
sight cannot be restored. This newsletter will be available
electronically and will be published in
March, June, September and
December.
Visit
We extend our appreciation to our
Members and Partners , our
Communications Officer and Team for
for your copy of their support in the launch of this
initiative.

“Eye On Sight”

Follow us on.....
EYE ON SIGHT
is produced with the support of the
following Organisations.
@ccbeyecare

The European Commission
@ CCB Eye Care Caribbean
Sightsavers

Eye Care Guyana
How can you help?
The Jamaica Society for the Blind
Please donate to CCB Eye Care Caribbean.

The St. Lucia Blind Welfare Donations may be made via our website
Association www.eyecarecaribbean.com

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Eye On Sight Newsletter Q1 2011