Sight.org is a non-profit organization treating eye disease faced by people living in and around Togo, West Africa. Founder and president Lewis Swann gave Rotarians a compelling account of the faith-based group’s successful efforts since its launch in 2012. Speaking from his base in Tyler, Texas, via computer, Swann explained that he was moved to set up the medical outreach after observing the area’s special needs while part of another mission program. One in 20 people in rural Togo are blinded by cataracts. Cataract surgery that normally would cost thousands of dollars can be done for $150 thanks to donations and volunteers. The staff of Sight.org has completed 3,500 cataract operations since its founding.
The visually impaired of Togo face an exceptionally hard life because of limited physical and people resources. Swann explained that one cataract patient feared for his life when eating because he had no consistent caregivers and he was considered an outcast by some believing in native superstitions. In another case, the need for care of an elderly woman with cataracts meant a child in the family faced giving up the chance for an education because she needed a full-time helper. Her surgery had the added benefit of also giving the child the opportunity for success.
Swann noted that Sight.org is also in the business of preventative eye healthcare. They do this with a focus on overcoming malnutrition. The organization has its own agriculture training facility. Modern farming techniques are taught allowing production ratios ten-times higher than traditional farming practices.
Swann and his wife lead a team primarily made up of West Africans. Swann believes this has led to greater acceptance of the team with fewer bureaucratic obstacles than those faced by others. This enables them to do an average 60 surgeries a month using a mobile eye clinic. More details are available at their web site (www.sight.org).