During the last week of June 2021, humanitarian Anton Poplett and his team of volunteers travelled some 4 500 km from Cape Town to Botswana’s Bobirwa Sub-district in the south-east of the country.
Their mission: to conduct eye tests on approximately 2 300 children aged 9-14, and some adults, at CITW partner schools, and to dispense eyeglasses where needed. The spectacles for those who required them were also provided as part of the sponsorship by the series of donors.
The testing was initially set to take place in March 2020 at Gobojango, Semolale, Mabolwe, Mathathane, Motlhabaneng and Lentswe le Moriti primary schools.
Then, just as final preparations were getting underway, the global COVID-19 pandemic was declared! Now finally, after 15 months of waiting, delays and postponements, the testing has been successfully and safely completed.
“This project was long overdue”, noted Anton. “I was depressed at not being able to travel last year when lockdown happened. The support from ALL parties has been superb, and we gave out around 70 pairs of eyeglasses to specific people in need. Happily, we arrived back home safe and COVID-free, as we had planned”.
Our heartfelt thanks go to Anton, the Tuli Conservation Trust, the Lady Khama Charitable Trust, 4×4 Out Far, Optima Ballistic Glass, Global Vision 2020 and Hoya, without whose generous donations this life-changing exercise would not have been possible.
