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Glasses Department

Background
It was not easy for one to acquire glasses in our region. If you spot one then if means he traveled about 200 kilometers to a mission near by the capital city to have one. The only other way was to be given a pair by a white man. In our society someone with glasses was treated with respect bearing in mind that he has put something expensive and that it is not easy to source one. In that time I was just a boy and I could not even dare to touch the glasses of someone fearing to be whipped or slapped just because they came from far in case they are broken.
These days some people still believe that using glasses deteriorate or worsen the eyes but I have seen more people using the glasses defeating the ignorance of the majority, although in other aspects of our life we believe that what a white man does is correct then we follow it.
When the first consignment of glasses came to Malawi, Martin and Ralf witnessed a long queue of men and women scrambling to have a pair of glasses as if they were given for free. My father was among the men, he told me it was really like a hot cake on the market. He continued that the glasses people bought were not only for refractive errors but they also gain respect from on lookers because when you put on glasses you attract attention of somebody with different comments.
Since I joined the charity I have seen different people of different positions in our society that is whether in a low, middle or high class putting on glasses from our shop, while in the past it was only high class people who were able to afford a pair of glasses.
Our Optical shop has catchment area of about 3 million people who could afford to visit us. Thanks to you gentlemen for your vision on the project and achievements you have made down here in Malawi.
I recall one gentleman from Mozambique our neighboring country, he found a job there but he had poor sight, the problem blocked him his chance of working then he heard about us from a Malawian living there. I provided the service to him, then he said: “ You were my last hope otherwise I would have lost my job and it would have been hard to earn a living.” He bought two pair reading glasses. Just imagine this type of people are plenty who are finding life easier because they are using glasses from our shop. Its amazing to hear someone say:” I never knew that my eyes could focus again like this. Azungu ali ndi zerudi.” Which means whites are really intelligent. All this is said in appreciation of your good work down here in Malawi.

Our new building

It was in 2006 when the Hospital Administrator shared to me a copy of a letter from Martin about him coming with three other friends to sketch the Optical Center. I thought it will take long before implementing this plan just the same as I am waiting for a trip to Uganda for studies but now we have witnessed your dreams coming true with magnificent building which is already a talking stalk in our town.
Mr. Mbewe( nickname of Uli) has supervised the work to be standard and to finish in time, although this year we have experienced heavy rainfalls which has disturbed us a lot to finish in time. The warm heart of Africa is welcoming you to the opening ceremony of our first born baby. We need also to extend our project to other regions where they could not afford a pair of glasses at exorbitant price.
The building has also given me a confidence that the project is permanent and even our clients are happy to see their structure.

Uli Mbewe

It has not been easy for him to stay here for a such long time of about three years. There have been some set backs but he managed to overcome them in one way or another. I have learned a lot from him like management of everyday operations and practical work on all services provided.He is an assert in our charity. Well I salute him.

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Wir leisten Entwicklungshilfe in Malawi im Bereich der Augenoptik im Sinne der "Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe" mit dem Ziel der Unabhängigkeit dieses Projekts.

Einladung zur Jahreshauptversammlung

Liebe Mitglieder und Interessierte des Vereins Brillenwerk,

zu unserer Jahreshauptversammlung am

Freitag, 26. Juni 2009 um 19.00 Uhr
im Hotel „Soho“ Landau, Marie-Curie-Straße 9

laden wir Euch sehr herzlich ein.

erste Fotos unseren Geb�udes

Die Bodenplatte unseren Bauvorhabens ist bereits vollendet und die Arbeiten an den Mauern gehen voran. Hier schonmal die ersten Bilder. In den kommenden Tagen wird ein Bericht über die aktuellen Vorgänge von Uli veröffentlicht.

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