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<\/p>\nRabia Mayet | rabiamayet@radioislam.co.za<\/p>\n
24 July 2025<\/p>\n
3-minute read<\/p>\n
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The gift of sight is often taken for granted, but there are countless individuals in South Africa\u2019s rural communities who live in silence, suffering from preventable or treatable vision problems, simply because they lack access to basic eyecare.<\/p>\n
When she first started working at the local clinics after graduating from the University of Johannesburg as an optometrist, Zaahira Essay Jogee became concerned about the lack of awareness and attention around eyecare. Working in rural clinics, she was confronted with the staggering need for eyecare amongst vulnerable populations.<\/p>\n
\u201cOptometry goes far beyond what the eyes can see,\u201d states Zaahira. After treating a young girl with significant vision issues who only received her spectacles almost 5 years later, Zaahira was driven to found the Ruya (Vision) Project, a non-profit organization. Her project provides essential eye care services to those in need, giving renewed hope and vision to those who would otherwise have remained unseen.<\/p>\n
\u201cDelayed intervention can lead to conditions like Amblyopia or lazy eye,\u201d Zaahira emphasized, and can even contribute to learning difficulties and social development. Through the Ruya Project, she aims to raise awareness about the importance of eye care and provide vital services to those who need them the most.<\/p>\n
The Ruya Project has \u201cidentified several critical community needs\u201d among underprivileged communities. With the lack of eyecare awareness and many people not prioritising eye health, \u201ceducation and conversations around eye health can make a huge difference.\u201d Another challenge Zaahira and her team face is the lack of eyecare services in specific areas where there is not enough equipment or personnel to deal with vision problems. In rural communities, people have the added problem of having to travel long distances to eyecare facilities. The Ruya Project aims to get people to the correct facilities and services to conduct essential eye tests, provide diagnosis, and commence intervention and treatment.<\/p>\n
Community involvement is crucial, says Zaahira, because by engaging with local communities and through their integrative approach, they can better target those in need of their services.<\/p>\n
To ensure sustainability, they adhere to the HPCSA requirements for optometry, like a 2-year rotation for facilities, committing to providing their services at the facility for a set period to see treatment and intervention through to the end. Partnering with UJ Optometry Clinic has been instrumental in helping them further their services.<\/p>\n
Despite constraints in expanding their reach, this small, volunteer-based organization is \u201ccommitted to making a meaningful impact\u201d and creating \u201clasting benefit\u201d in the communities they serve. The Ruya Project\u2019s vision is to get funding and sponsorships to expand their reach to orphanages and elder-care facilities and to provide intervention \u201cbeyond that\u201d for other eye conditions that require more than just spectacles.<\/p>\n
Zaahira says there are many lessons they have learnt along the way, one of them being to ditch the superhero complex by learning to say no when they \u201ccannot go beyond what we are capable of,\u201d as they are \u201climited\u201d in their capacity. The Ruya Project is committed to restoring sight and dignity to underprivileged communities.<\/p>\n