SIBU: For 28 residents of the Rantau Panjang longhouse community, a free eye screening has now translated into something far more practical — a pair of spectacles to help them see more clearly in their everyday lives.
The spectacles were handed over at Rumah Suria Amat near here on Sunday (Aug 23) by the Lions Club of Sibu Bawang Assan (LCSBA), marking the latest follow-up to a community eye-care initiative carried out during the the meet-the-people programme at the end of July.
The handover was witnessed by Bawang Assan SUPP chairman Councillor Kevin Lau Kor Jie and his team.
Residents first underwent free eye screenings conducted by LCSBA under its SightFirst Project during the community programme organised by Village Secruity and Development Committee (JKKK) Jalan Quarry.
Following eye examinations and assessments, 28 residents were identified as eligible for free spectacles.
The Lions Club then arranged for the spectacles to be prepared according to the beneficiaries’ respective prescriptions before returning to the longhouse to personally distribute them.
For Lau, who is also SUPP Youth Central chairman, the follow-up demonstrated how community programmes could move beyond a single event and produce tangible assistance for residents.
He said he was pleased that the eye-screening service provided during the programme had not ended with the completion of the event but had been followed by concrete assistance for residents who required spectacles.
“The programme is not only a platform for residents to engage directly with leaders. It also creates opportunities for community organisations and social groups to reach out to residents, understand their actual needs and contribute through their respective expertise and resources.”
He expressed his appreciation to the LCSBA for extending its assistance beyond the initial screenings.
“We are very grateful that the Lions Club not only provided free eye screenings to the residents but also continued to follow up after the screenings and provided free spectacles.
“This is a very practical form of community service, and we appreciate the Lions Club’s continued care and contribution to the community.”
Lau said Bawang Assan SUPP would continue working with community organisations, non-governmental organisations and other groups through various grassroots activities.
Such collaboration, he said, would help the branch better understand the needs of residents while encouraging more social resources to be channelled towards grassroots communities.
The latest spectacle handover effectively extended the impact of the programme, with the initial eye screenings at the end of July leading to follow-up assistance for 28 longhouse residents less than a month later.
