The reason
Petit was looking for an ocularist who could help Chikondi, a 17-year-old girl in Malawi, get an artificial eye. When Axel Franken saw some photos of the girl, he didn’t hesitate for a moment: he was certain he could help her. He made several prosthetic eyes, which Dr. Petit took with him on his next trip to Malawi, from which Chikondi was able to choose a prosthesis that suited her.She was overjoyed and enjoyed the prosthesis for several years.
According to Jan Petit, he had “never seen anyone as happy as this young woman after the simple fitting of the prosthesis. Unfortunately, she has since died from complications related to congenital AIDS.”
More contacts
After this experience, Axel stayed in touch with the foundation. To see the situation on the ground for himself, he traveled to Malawi with Jan Petit several times and established contacts with various ophthalmologists. This gave him a better understanding of the challenges they face there. He also met an optician who provides ocular prostheses. This optician imports ready-made eyes from India. He can adjust them slightly to ensure the prostheses fit as well as possible. However, what makes it so difficult for people who need a prosthesis is the fact that these prostheses are only available in the major cities (of which there aren’t many). Many Malawians lack transportation, let alone the money to travel long distances.
Many eye problems
Unfortunately, there are many people in Malawi who have poor eyesight or are blind. This is because there are many accidents in Malawi—whether on the road, while working in the fields, or due to the open fires that are commonly used for various tasks. They don’t have safety regulations there as we know them. Poor nutrition is also a cause of many eye problems.After his visits to Malawi, Axel once again received photos of people who would very much like to have an ocular prosthesis. He then made a number of ocular prostheses, and Dr. Jan Petit brought them along on his next visit and fitted them for the patients.This is how a partnership between the foundation and the Hague Artificial Eye Laboratory came about; it has been in place for several years now and will continue to expand. Axel’s next visit to Malawi has not yet been scheduled, but it won’t be long before he goes. Would anyone like to learn more about this wonderful foundation or support this worthy cause? Please help the foundation by donating to Malawikom.org—thank you very much.
Malawi.com
Malawi.kom is a Dutch foundation whose mission is to support healthcare in developing countries, specifically in Malawi, where conditions are unacceptable due to a lack of qualified healthcare professionals, medical supplies, and equipment. The focus is on supporting surgical and urological care. They provide this support by educating, training, and coaching local healthcare workers. They also procure medical supplies and equipment to make them available locally. Malawi is one of the poorest countries in the world, with a population of over 19 million. Nevertheless, the country is called “the warm heart of Africa” because of its incredibly loving people.
