Enduring difficulties such as intense heat, limited equipment and a language barrier, ophthalmologist Zhao Jianfeng and his colleagues managed to perform free cataract surgeries for 118 Sri Lankan patients in two days in Colombo, the Sri Lankan capital, in May.
Their work was part of the Brightness Action campaign, a Chinese medical assistance project launched in 2014 aimed at restoring eyesight for underprivileged patients in developing countries.
Zhao, from the First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University in Yunnan province, said that many Sri Lankans have eye diseases such as cataracts due to prolonged exposure to sunlight and strong ultraviolet rays, and they lack adequate medical resources for treatment.
He explained that with the right equipment, the surgeries can be performed in minutes. The success rate is high, and the effects are immediate.
“The most rewarding moment was when we removed gauze from the patients’ eyes after treatment,”Zhao said. “I saw smiles on their faces. They gave me a thumbs-up, shook my hand and hugged me.”
Indrananda Abeysekara, a 68-year-old cataract patient and president of the Association for Sri Lanka-China Social and Cultural Cooperation, regained her eyesight after the surgery. She said that she is willing to act as an ambassador to advocate for the Brightness Action campaign in local communities.
Zhao has participated in the medical aid program six times, performing surgeries in countries such as Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam.
“I was deeply touched when a lady in Myanmar thanked me for giving her a normal life again,” he said. “She said she had the opportunity to get back to work and have a social life again.”
Zeng Zhong, director of the hospital in Kunming and leader of the medical team, said that the surgeries not only aid cataract patients, but also enhance the diagnostic and treatment capabilities of local medical institutions.
The hospital has participated in the aid program eight times over the past eight years, he said.
A key public welfare project in Yunnan’s humanitarian aid efforts, the Brightness Action campaign not only demonstrates China’s willingness to help people in less-developed nations but also plays a crucial role in fostering collaboration and the exchange of medical expertise with neighboring nations, Zeng said.
It also stands as a vivid example of people-to-people diplomacy, he added.
The campaign is one of China’s many small-scale livelihood assistance projects, which are also known as “small yet smart” projects.
Such projects are more targeted in their approach and are financed by small loans. They include a juncao (mushroom grass) cultivation assistance program; a project to bring satellite TV networks to African villages; and the Luban Workshop, a vocational training program.
The concept has been a hot topic in China’s foreign aid community since President Xi Jinping said at a symposium on Belt and Road development in 2021 that such livelihood projects should be prioritized in facilitating overseas cooperation.
Luo Zhaohui, head of the China International Development Cooperation Agency, said at a news conference in October that more than 200 small yet smart projects have been implemented since 2021. It is estimated that the projects have benefited millions of people.
Luo said that the agency will aim to launch 1,000 of the projects, an idea proposed by Xi at the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in October.
Wang Yiwei, director of the Institute of International Affairs at the Renmin University of China, said that unlike more high-profile projects, participants in the small ones are more diverse, as they involve government agencies, overseas Chinese companies, civil society organizations and non-governmental organizations.
Sun Tianshu, an associate researcher at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, wrote in an article that the small yet smart projects focus on how to leverage limited funding to achieve better development and provide diplomatic and economic benefits to the people in participating countries.
While “small” indicates the low cost and a small scope of the projects, “smart” refers to the effects, such as improving livelihoods and enhancing the impact on society, she wrote.
Sun added that the success of such projects lies in being embraced by the people and recognized as an integral force in the development of their nations.