We are getting ready to move into our new home this year! Phase 1 of our Hospital Construction Project: Eye Block with Community Development Centre, will be completed in just a couple of months! We look forward to the day when we can welcome our first patients into our new purpose-built facilities. We also look forward to this day because our new place will be all fitted out and we can invite you to our Housewarming Party! What amazing days lie ahead! Thank you for building this dream with us, our team, and our community!
Fitting out a hospital in a resource-limited setting like ours demands some serious planning and some furious shopping! We are grateful for several second-hand items that have already been generously donated. Still, an astronomic amount of shopping remains! For example:
People say, “Shop till you drop”. With this intense level of shopping, we should have ‘dropped’ long ago. But with you cheering us on and with the vision of a bright and hopeful future for our patients before us, LET’S GO SHOPPING!
FAQ
I want to be a part of this meaningful project. What can I do?
There are many ways you can help. Here are some ideas. You can:
- Pray for us
- Join our team in Congo as a volunteer or staff member
- Make a one-off donation as your housewarming gift for us
- Become a partner by making a recurring donation to support our ongoing expansion
- Become a naming rights donor, get in touch with us
- Set up a fundraiser page with us to host your own activity
- Tell your friends and family and social media circle about @newsightcongo
How do I donate?
To support our shopping, you can choose to donate from the UK, US, Canada and Hong Kong, where we (and our partners) can issue tax-deductible receipts. If you’re donating from elsewhere, thank you, and please donate via Hong Kong.
When is the big move? When will the new hospital open?
The structure is 100% complete and the interior is 85% complete! Our construction company estimates that they will be able to fix a problem we have encountered in the ceiling by May. After that, four short term mission teams from USA, Canada and Hong Kong are planning to come to Congo in June-October to help us move in! We would love to be in our new ‘home’ by the end of the year! We plan to settle in before we plan for an official opening ceremony in 2025. In the meantime, we will continue to serve our patients and the local community through our Interim Eye Centre and our Interim Surgical Centre. Last year, the number of our consultations increased once again by ~20% and our children’s magazine’s readership has grown to 20,000. Our new facilities will allow us to put our roots down so that we can continue to grow and bring more tangible and long-lasting transformation to our patients and community.
What does Phase 1 include?
Phase 1 includes:
- 20 beds: 4 four-bed wards & 4 single rooms
- Consultations & Emergencies
- Optical Shop with Workshop
- Pharmacy
- Laser Treatment Unit
- Reception and Waiting Areas
- Lecture Hall
- Small Library
- Community Development Centre
- 2 Operating Theatres
- Pre- and Post-op Ward
- Sterilisation, Laundry & Support Services
- Rest area & Pantry for Staff & Students
- Offices
- Patient Dining Area
- Electricity, Water, Septic Tank, Incinerator
- Access Road
- Flexible space to develop other services
How many more phases are planned?
The land acquired by New Sight has an area of 6 hectares (60,000m2). We have currently fenced off only 2 hectares (20,000m2). Further planning will resume upon completion of Phase 1 to fund Phase 2 of the construction project: Expat Team Accommodation. This phase is crucial to secure new team members to join our mission. It is our hope that when we have a bigger team on the ground, we can continue to plan for and develop the whole piece of land to bring more aid to the community.
Where do you buy your stuff?
We always try to buy materials that are manufactured and available locally. Unfortunately, many items need to be sourced from abroad, and the most cost-effective way for us to do so is to ship directly to Congo thanks to our tax exoneration agreement with the Congolese government and the partnership with the Ministry of Health.
New Sight follows a vigorous process to research and source no-frills economical options that offer the best value for money with the most advantageous combination of cost, quality, and sustainability. Our newly bought materials, at special NGO prices where possible, mostly come from Hong Kong, UK, China, India, and the Netherlands.
How much do the things on your shopping list cost? What can my donation do?
Costs range widely, but they all meet a need and bring value! For example, general medical equipment such as thermometers and blood pressure monitors cost as little as USD 5, while more specialist eye equipment ranges from USD 200 to over USD 62,000.
Let’s look at another example and take a tour inside one of our four 4-bed wards:
Everything on the shopping list is there for a reason. If an item is not needed or is not useful, it won’t make it on the famous list! Whatever amount you choose to give, it will make a difference! Thank you for empowering us to serve!