Our First Project

Giving the Gift of Sight in Arusha, Tanzania

In July 2015, The Little Things managed to successfully equip an eye clinic for St Elizabeth Hospital in Arusha, Tanzania. 

We used the funds raised by The Little Things from our skydiving fundraiser, trekking Mt. Snowdon in Wales, bucket collections, and general donations from generous individuals to purchase the diagnostic and surgical equipment needed for St. Elizabeth Hospital to run an eye clinic, as well as the furniture to house in-patients. 

The following equipment were purchased from a range of global medical suppliers: 

  • Portable Slit Lamp

  • Indirect Ophthalmoscope

  • 4 x Cataract Surgical Kits

  • Operating table & surgeon's chair

  • Operating microscope

  • Autorefractor/ Keratometer

  • 3 x Distance vision testing drums 

The above equipment belonged to a list of required equipment provided by Dr Kway, the hospital director at St. Elizabeth Hospital. The equipment was purchased from suppliers all across the world – Japan, India, Germany, India, UK. These suppliers then shipped or used air freight to transport the medical equipment to St Elizabeth Hospital in Tanzania. The equipment purchased from the UK was taken by Rathaven directly to the hospital. At St. Elizabeth Hospital, a medical engineer was present and completed any necessary installation of the equipment. 

  • Furniture purchased for the eye clinic from:

  • Mbasha Holding

  • Home Comfort

  • TanFoam 

Rathaven flew out to Tanzania, to oversee the completion of the project, assist with installation of the equipment, and film a documentary to showcase the completion of the project. 

This project had a huge impact on the local population as the ophthalmologist at St. Elizabeth Hospital was the only Ophthalmologist in Arusha that could treat eye diseases. The lack of a fully equipped eye clinic meant that patients with easily treatable ocular conditions like cataracts and glaucoma struggled to find treatment, and would have to visit neighbouring regions to source the necessary healthcare. We provided equipment that would assist him in the diagnosis and management of common ocular diseases.