Moya Brennan visits the Congo and Rwanda, working alongside CBM.

IRISH SINGER Moya Brennan, known as "the voice of Clannad", has just returned from a trip to war-torn Congo and Rwanda. In the Congo (formerly Zaire) she spent a week following the work of one of the largest sight saving agencies working overseas, Christian Blind Mission. Moya was amongst a party of five trapped in Kinshasa airport as violent anti-UN protests broke out in the Congolese capital. The party was urgently evacuated to Nairobi, Kenya.

From there the group took an impromptu decision to fly to Kigali in Rwanda, to experience at first hand the projects that CBM is operating in these areas. At the time of the Rwandan massacre 10 years ago, CBM immediately sent workers to the area to provide disaster relief. They were the first organisation on site to be providing orthopaedic trauma work, receiving thousands of people with broken and lacerated bones and limbs. They also established a physiotherapy unit and provided people with artificial limbs, wheelchairs and tricycles for increased mobility. CBM was soon also carrying out essential eye care work, saving the sight of thousands in the area. Today CBM works with local churches providing facilities for orphans and those who lost friends and family during the butchery.

Moya spent several days visiting these sight saving and orthopaedic projects. One of the aspects that most struck Moya was how some patients were unable to reach rehabilitation projects due to the lack of transport. The singer decided to stage an impromptu concert, in the hope that the group might be able to raise enough money to purchase a minibus. The spontaneous concert was staged in Kigali and was attended by an enthusiastic group of locals, including dignitaries such as the Rwandan Minister of Health. Over nine and a half thousand pounds was raised and a minibus was purchased, that could ferry patients to and from rehabilitation projects.