From January 20 to February 25, 2024, Christian had the opportunity to take part in a special social project in Mwanza, Tanzania. For six weeks, he was able to work in the local clinic, where he focused on examining patients’ eyes while also setting up a fully-fledged optician’s store. The motto of the trip was clear: helping people to help themselves.

A key part of Christian’s work was to provide the clinic staff with the knowledge and skills they needed to carry out eye examinations and fit glasses independently. In workshops, he explained the basics of eye measurement and introduced them to the craft of optometry. It was inspiring to see how quickly the employees learned and how enthusiastic they were.

Particularly impressive were the so-called outreaches, where we drove into the savannah to reach people in remote areas. In these hard-to-reach areas, we carried out eye examinations and fitted spectacles on site. This included fitting “one-dollar glasses”, an inexpensive yet effective solution for people who would otherwise have no access to visual aids.

The guiding principle of “helping people to help themselves” was omnipresent throughout Christian’s stay. Every day, he continued to train the employees so that they would be able to continue the project independently after his departure and continue to help the people in Mwanza in the best possible way.

These six weeks in Tanzania were an incredibly enriching experience. We at Bartels are grateful for the opportunity to have been in Mwanza and look forward to being able to help again soon.