Mongolian eyes: Salamatsyz ba (Hello)

After over a year of planning and postponements, the cataract project in West Mongolia is back in track! The project’s one and only aim is to save the damaged sight of people who don’t have the resources needed to perform an eye-saving operation, or of people who live too far away from any eye clinic or hospital to afford the transportation needed to get there.

Actually, we are not trying to invent something new: numerous NGOs are implementing cataract projects around the world today. The problem is that

Mongolia

is not on the “list” of any of those NGOs. The project will also be assisted by a local clinic in Ullan-Battar, led by Dr. Bolormaa, and logistically supported by “Mongolian-Ways”, led by Ron and Sugara Oren. The Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs has expressed its willingness to help and donate a large amount of money.

The target date has been set for June 2012.

This blog has been established with the intention of raising awareness about the “eye problem” in West Mongolia; it was also designed to help you follow the project’s progress over the next 8 months, and to serve as a fundraising tool to ensure that this important work is actualized. Please feel free to forward this blog to all your friends who might be interested in the subject or able to donate. Every person can make a difference.

For more information:

http://www.mongolian-ways.com/index.htm

http://www.mfa.gov.il/mfaheb/diplomatic%20updates/world/

Watch a slideshow of West Mongolian people and their landscape:

http://vimeo.com/15123900

We need your help!

Although this mission is based on the work of volunteers, undertaking surgical procedures in a remote and faraway location clearly requires money, as well. This project aims to operate and repair the eyes of 100-150 people in a period of less than 10 days. In order to do it, a field hospital will be assembled in Bayan-Olgii by the team of “Eye From Zion”. A collaboration of Israeli & Mongolian doctors will perform surgeries around the clock.

The “Mongolian Eyes” project requires about $40,000 for airfare, accommodation, equipment, local publicity, and logistics. We hope to get half the amount from the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but the other half must be raised in the next 8 months. We and the people of

Mongolia

will be more than happy to receive your donation.

Why West Mongolia?

Mongolia

is a large country (1.5 million sq km), almost the size of Alaska, and inhabited by only 3 million people. About half the population is located in the capital, Ullan-Battar. Much of the remaining population consists of nomads scattered around the country, living autarkic lives in their round tents called “Ger”. West Mongolia is located 1600 km to the west of the capital, dominated by the Altai Mountains and large lakes. It is composed of three provinces (Aimags): Bayan-Olgii, Khovd and Uvs, with a population of about 250,000 inhabitants. These Aimags have very poor hospital facilities, only a few doctors, and no eye doctors at all. Thus, the people of west

Mongolia

are essentially unable to receive cataract surgeries due to their far distance from any eye clinic. If one decides to have an operation, he/she will have to travel by local transportation (a 5-day ride on bad roads) or fly by domestic flight which costs more than a $1000. Needless to say, most people, certainly the old and week, cannot make the ride or afford the expensive flight. Moreover, accommodating 2-4 weeks in the capital and the operation itself can increase the price by another $500. Therefore, the people who suffer from cataracts or other eye illnesses are doomed to live a life without the ability to function properly and even see their grandchildren grow up.

How did it all start?

The chain of events that led to this project idea project is too multi-pronged to be described here. In 2001, while wandering around the green valley underlying the Tsambgarov Mountain, I met the Arees family for the first time: Papa Arees, mama Elda and their nine kids and numerous grandchildren. They were sitting outside their “ger” and talking about the big golden eagles that were resting near the pure water stream. These eagles are domesticated and trained to hunt foxes during the cold winter. In 2003, I returned to spend more time with the family and to document their special hunting techniques. Living with the family for a long time gave me a new and different perspective about their life. It was not enough. Returning home, I had the desire to go back and visit the family in the winter, the real hunting season for the golden eagles. 3 years later, equipped with an ice-sled and a video camera, I arrived to the frozen Bayan-Olgii Aimag. Walking on the frozen Hovd River, I finally arrived at the winter residence of the Arees Family. For the next month and a half, I lived, ate, slept and hunted with these special people, in one of the most remote and beautiful places on earth. In 2009, I had the great chance to join Saatia my friend from

Australia

and other lovely people for a unique journey into the wilderness of west

Mongolia

. During the trip, we visited the Arees family under the same bright glacier of Tsambagarov Mountain, and I noticed that Elda has a severe cataract problem. We promised to help her. 5 months later, Elda received surgery in Ullan-Battar, under the care of Dr. Bolormaa, and her vision was corrected (I would like to thank again, all the people who made that happen: Saatia, Wendy, Rachel, Ron, Sugara and many others I have probably forgotten).

After this project, we understood how difficult and expensive it was to operate on just one person – and thus began to develop this new project idea. Today, almost 2 years later, we are taking the first steps that will hopefully lead a few doctor volunteers to save the eyes of the people of West Mongolia.

What is Cataract?

A cataract is a clouding that develops in the crystalline lens of the eye or in its envelope, varying in degree from slight to complete opacity and obstructing the passage of light. Early in the development of age-related cataract, the power of the lens may be increased, causing near-sightedness (myopia), and the gradual yellowing and opacification of the lens may reduce the perception of blue colours. Cataracts typically progress slowly to cause vision loss and are potentially blinding if untreated. The condition usually affects both the eyes, but almost always one eye is affected earlier than the other (From VikipediA).