Imprensa

Vidi helps children see better

The Vidi Institute develops programs to prevent childhood low vision and blindness in Brazil,
programs that are internationally recognized.

The Vidi Institute for Vision and Development, develops internationally recognized programs to combat poor sight and blindness in children.

An estimated 4% of poor Brazilian children have an untreatable visual problem caused by congenital infections, hereditary diseases and pre-maturity due to malnutrition and no access to basic health services. All of these factors will provoke visual loss as inability to see details for reading of to be aware of the ambience at a certain distance. This problem is not easily detected as the children belong to a very low social-economic level, have no access to basic health care and their families have no information about what they need to do and what they can do for their children. Fortunately, 40% of the cases have moderate visual loss and can be oriented as to how to use their remaining vision through simple instructions, or the adaptation of very low cost devices and materials. This provides visual development and maximum use of their seeing potential. The Vidi Institute contributes to the detection and treatment of children under visual and social disadvantage, using equipment provided by WK Sistemas and ASC Assessoria de Sistemas e Computadores Ltda.

What we do

The program Vidi in the Community detects and orients children in visual disadvantage where they live. It acts to ameliorate the visual condition and school performance, educating their families, community agents and general public. The first Vidi in the Community program started one year ago in Embu, (30 km from Sao Paulo) in partnership with the city government and the Federal University of Sao Paulo. The implementation of the first community center, at Jardim Santo Eduardo, (in the outskirts of the city), detected 30 children up to 9 years of age (10 children/month) who were not enrolled in the public educational system. Through local treatment and orientation that including motivating the families to prepare low cost-visual devices, toys and cardboard furniture, the program already re-integrated 60% of the children in public schools. This initial phase was implemented with the financial support of The Childhood Foundation (The Queen Silvia of Sweden's Patronage), CBM Intemational (Germany) and Assist Foundation (Brazil). Vidi in the Community also set up one more center in Embu and in Itapecerica da Serra is co-ordinated by The Citibank/Citicorp Intemational Foundation (USA) for 2001/2002.

There are other Vidi programs, such as UNI VIDI (or Basic VIDI UNITS) in Rio de Janeiro. Since 2000, a more complex level project benefited a greater number of children and their families. A partnership between the Institute Fernandes Figueiras (Ministry of Health) coordinated by ophthalmologist Dr Andrea Zin guarantees treatment for more than 300 children (mainly premature babies) per year. This program will also offer training for professionals in the following areas:

• Resources allocation/administration
• Human resources in visual rehabilitation for regional decentralization
• Marketing and Public relations - Vidi Volunteers program
• Data bank on Childhood Blindness - Vidi Data program

Vidi intends to have a new partner for UNIVIDI program by 2002 in Curitiba (Paraná) Dr Ana Tereza Moreira, Federal University of Paraná.

Vidi Program in your community?

• Verify if your region fits the criteria of poverty, inefficient basic health system and low score in economical development.
• Involvement of local community leaderships, such as Pastoral da Criança and counting on the participation of local government in offering the already existing public infra-structure.
• Recruiting local people, health and education professionals, community agents and volunteers.
• Involvement of Brazilian companies.

Vidi Programs are being financially supported by:

• Citicorp/Citigroup Foundation
• CBM Intemational
• Fundação Assist

The Programs Count on the cooperation of:

• Brazilian-Swedish Chamber of Commerce
• Galloro Associates
• Veirano Associates
• Ericsson Intemational
• Federal University of Sao Paulo (PIDA)