8:36 am | Jun 16, 2009
Crocs for Kenya: Helping one pair at a time
Rossmoor optometrist Lori Sakamoto and her daughter Rachel, a student at Los Alamitos High, are making their third trip to Kenya this summer to help at rural medical clinics near Kitale. They also are collecting donations of new and gently used Crocs to share with the families who walk miles from surrounding villages to reach the clinics.
Last year the volunteers gave out about 80 pairs of Crocs and children’s shoes during their visit. “The children were delighted!” Lori says. “The colors are fun, they feel good and for many it was their first pair of shoes.”
Lori says that she and Dr. Rob Henslick, who leads the program, will see about 300 patients during their two weeks in Kenya this August. The volunteers also are collecting new and used non-prescription sunglasses for this year’s trip. (All donations are needed by Aug. 10.)
“We added non-prescription sunglasses to our wish list this year to help prevent cataracts,” Lori says. “Continued exposure to ultraviolet light accelerates the formation of cataracts. In our country, cataract surgery is a simple out patient procedure, in Kenya, however, cataract surgery is not an option for those living outside of major cities. All of our clinics will be in rural areas. Cost of transportation to a major city alone is prohibitive, not to even mention the cost of the surgery itself.”
Visit Crocs for Kenya to learn more.
Photos: Top: Lori Sakamoto (right) stands next to a woman wearing her red Crocs after an eye exam; Below: Kitali children in their new shoes.
Posted by donna | Uncategorized
