Volunteering in Uganda

A team of eight employees from Newmedica Worcester will travel to Uganda later this month to provide eye care to villagers in Kititi.

The group, which will provide sight tests and spectacles to those who require them, will begin in Kititi and travel to a further five local villages in the area.

They will travel alongside 81-year-old Kate Oakley, who attended Newmedica Worcester for laser treatment last year to remove blurriness in her left eye after having cataract surgery at another health provider.

During her treatment, Oakley spoke with staff and fellow patients about her longstanding volunteering in Uganda, where she has spent almost two decades volunteering by providing education and training, and supporting with the provision of clean water, healthcare, improved housing, sanitation and electricity.

Inspired by Oakley, the Newmedica team organised the trip to support her charity, Planting for Hope Uganda.

Oakley, who has received a Rotary GB&I Community Champion award for her outstanding humanitarian and community service, said: “It’s beyond belief. When I had the blurriness in my eye, I was worried, thinking it could be something serious, but I was reassured and went to Newmedica Worcester. I’m so glad I did. The treatment I had was so wonderful, and now they’re going to Uganda to help thousands of people with their sight. I could never have imagined this would happen.”

Newmedica Worcester operations director, Josh Raden, said: “Listening to Kate speak so passionately about the people of Kititi, we knew we wanted to help. We’re excited and humbled by this opportunity – but we still need people’s help for this to happen.”

Oakley began volunteer work in Uganda in 2007 following the unexpected death of her husband, to whom she was married to for 38 years.

She shared: “My husband’s diagnosis was a real out-of-the-blue shock. He was always so fit and healthy. With the loss of David, I didn’t know what to do next. I’d just retired and knew I didn’t want to do any supply teacher work. Then an old colleague told me about the work he’d done in Uganda, and it was a lightbulb moment for me. I knew that’s what I wanted to do.”

Oakley explained that the volunteer work supporting people in Kititi as well as surrounding villages is designed to “help them to achieve their goal of self-sufficiency and sustainability in many ways.”

She highlighted: “We couldn’t do this work without the support of many, many people, which now includes the amazing team at Newmedica Worcester. Their help really will change lives.”

The team is welcoming donations of unwanted glasses, clothing for adults and children, especially green-and-white uniforms. For more information, visit the team’s GoFundMe page.