VOSO update

The charity has been generously helped by Nassau Logistics in Auckland, said Dreaver. “Jackie Nassau managed to freight everything in containers already travelling to the Islands. We really appreciate her hard work and the container owners’ generosity. We anticipate another year of no travel but will continue to help where and however we can, including sending surgical supplies, donated glasses and optical frames.”

Dr David Murdoch Scholarship

In other news, a generous donation by Auckland-based benefactor, Dr Rosemary Murdoch has allowed VOSO to establish a new scholarship for a local ophthalmology registrar to travel to Papua New Guinea. The scholarship is named in honour of Dr Murdoch’s late husband, ophthalmologist Dr David Murdoch, with whom she led many VOSO trips to Papua New Guinea. “Bougainville and its planning took up so much of David's time in the 10 years we were going there. The registrars who came with us added to the whole adventure and David would have wanted to facilitate future trips to keep people grounded in this high-tech age as to how much good can be done relatively simply in these places,” she said.

While the details of the scholarship and application process are yet to be finalised, Dreaver said the donation, which was matched by the New Zealand Government, has been passed to the Christian Blind Mission in Papua New Guinea to manage, with Dr Murdoch’s blessing.