Zahra Rashid qualified as an Optometrist with a First Class Honors from University of Wales, Cardiff, UK in 2000 and returned to Kenya at the end of 2001 after completing her pre-registration year at Cheltenham General Hospital in the UK. Being very passionate about hospital Optometry, she joined Kikuyu Hospital, Eye Unit in 2002 where she worked for 6 years. She was responsible for vision assessments, refractions and low vision assessments in children at the base hospital and at outreach centers and the development of pediatric eye care services at the hospital. She started Muthaiga Eye Clinic in 2008. Her main area of interest was pediatric eye care. However, the clinic has grown to provide specialized Optometric eye care for both children and adults.
Training
She has been actively involved in teaching low vision to teachers at Kenya Institute of Special Education (KISE) and Ophthalmic Clinical Officers at Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC).
Advocacy
She has facilitated a number of workshops on low vision bringing together various stakeholders from eye NGO’s and Ministry of Education.
Consultancy
Zahra has consulted for
- Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi and Aga Khan Hospital, Kisumu developing eye care services
- Sightsavers International and Christoffel Blinden Mission facilitating low vision training programs in Rwanda, Malawi, South Africa, Syria, Oman, Abu Dhabi and Hong Kong
- University of Cardiff and University of Manchester recruiting undergraduate students from Kenya across all disciplines
Mrs. Rashid was awarded the:
- Kwazulu-Natal University, Durban, South Africa PhD (Optometry) Scholarship in 2020
- Ophthalmology Society for Kenya 2019 Awards, Outstanding Service by an Optometrist in Nov 2019
- Commonwealth Scholarship to study a Masters in Optometry at Cardiff University, UK in 2013