1. Personal Statement
In 2002, while seekingtoimprove the infrastructure of the publicteachinghospitalsinADEN
city/Yemen,whichwasmainlybeneficial forthe poor,Ifoundan advertisementaboutaglobal
programme,runby Vision2020, dealingwiththe preventionof blindnessaroundthe world. After
readingaboutthe workof Vision2020 I carriedouta furthersearchand foundinformationrelatingto
the SeventhAssemblyMeetingwhichwasscheduledtotake place inDubai in2004. However,Icould
not attendas an individual since onlyrepresentativeof organizationswaspermittedtotake partin its
proceedings.AssuchIsetabout the establishmentof aprofessional societycalled,‘YemenSocietyfor
Sight’(YSS) withthe addedintentionof playingapartin the universal idealsof Vision2020. Despite
much enthusiasmforthisventure obtainingfundsprovedtobe quite difficultbecauseof the lackof
finance inthe local community.ThismeantIhad to organise charitable events,solicitdonationsand
seekhelpfromprivate companiesandthe financiallywell-off.
I attendedthe conference inDubai,atmyownexpense,andlearnedquitealotfromexpertsintheir
fieldwhichIwasable to share withothersinYemenonmy return.
A lotof the workthat was done inYemeninvolvedmonthlyoutreachservicestopoorervillageswhere
free examinationsweregivenalongwitheye glasses,sometimesrecycledones.Inseriouscasessome
were referredforsurgical procedures,carriedoutbyvisitinginternational teams;we wouldcollect
moneyforthose whocouldnot payfor the service.Fundingwassometimesobtainedfromthe USA
ambassadorwhose wife visitedthe AlnoorInstitute in2004. Withsupportfrom hera lab and workshop
was builttoprovide trainingandcomplete workpreparation inadditiontoa low visionpclab.She also
helpedthe YSSto acquire a buildingfromwhichtowork.
The YSS works withschoolstopromote visionscreening,(includingpre-school screening),alsowiththe
general hospital formallycalledRasMarbat,a Christianeye hospital,toprovide aservice amongethnic
minoritycommunitiessuchasSomalisinarefugee campinthe regionof Al Basateen.
YSS alsoorganizedworkshops,carriedoutbyScandinavianexperts,forthose trainingtobe
ophthalmologistsin the SouthYemenophthalmologyunit.Furthertothisa visitingprofessor,(James
Stanford),gave trainingsessionsinglaucomawithsurgical interventionforasmall groupof
ophthalmologistsfromdifferentgovernmentdepartments.
Withthe passingof time Irecognizedthe needforamore extensiveeye care programme andbyhaving
meetingswithvariouspolitical groups/politiciansIwasable to openfourprimaryeye care unitsin
differentpolytechnicsinthe cityof Aden.
In additiontothisI have supportedotherorganizationsworkingforthe developmentandempowering
of womenandworkwithinternationalUniversitywomenfederation.Ihave alsohelpedwomenin
businessinAdenandestablishedthe YemenibusinesscommunityinAdencommercial chamber.