Vision First for surgery patients in Ghana

We celebrated in Ghana by literally putting Vision First! Our partner hospital, Watborg Eye Services, conducted 305 eye surgeries as part of the celebration, as well as screening for eye problems at Watborg and Saltpond Government Hospital. We also held a media briefing and an eye health promotion, which was well attended by 12 local media houses.

The national launch of WSD was held at Chapel Square, in Ghana’s Cape Coast. In attendance were heads of local departments and agencies, representatives of eye NGOs, and the Regional Director of Ghana Health Service – Central Region, Dr. Alexis Beifubah. As part of the event, Dr. Beifubah presented Operation Eyesight with an award for our contributions to eye health and for organizing activities during WSD 2019.

Clean glasses in Calgary, Canada

In Calgary, we took to downtown’s Stephen Avenue to raise awareness and remind people to put Vision First, joined by volunteers from Encana Corporation. Together, we handed out 1,000 eyeglass cleaning cloths, wished even more people a happy World Sight Day, and reminded everyone to book an eye exam. Canadians might not share the same challenges to eye health as people in other places around the world, but avoidable blindness will only be eliminated when everyone is empowered to take care of their eye health!

Vision First in 22 communities in India

In collaboration with our partners Nepal Eye Hospital, Sri Sankaradeva Nethralaya and Bansara Eye Care Centre, we celebrated WSD by declaring a total of 22 villages free of avoidable blindness. The declaration ceremony was attended by government officialsand stakeholders, and was covered by local print and digital media. Also, our Country Manager for India, Anup Zimba, participated in a walkathon organized by Vision 2020 in Jaipur, along with 700 others.

Outreach puts Vision First in Kenya

In Kenya, we put Vision First by conducting an outreach event to provide eye care services to people in Kirinyaga Country, where we’ve implemented our Hospital-Based Community Eye Health Program model in 150 villages. The result was 36 cataract surgeries and 182 people receiving treatment for different eye issues.

There was also education to emphasize the need to prioritize eye health, especially for women who are often too busy with farm work to seek eye health care. The message to everyone who received outreach was simple – make time to get your eyes screened and treated. That will help everyone lead more healthy and productive lives.

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Great examples of this occur in our  programs in Ghana and Kenya, where we partner with Seeing is Believing to eliminate avoidable blindness by integrating primary eye care into the primary health care system.

Thanks to support from donors like you, our eye care programs are hard at work within the countries’ existing health structures and systems. We help hospitals help themselves by identifying gaps in human resources and improving facilities; and we work with communities to target their specific eye care needs and empower them to take ownership of their eye health.

By educating staff members at partner hospitals on all aspects of eye health care, we help instill appreciation of the importance of the eye care programs they’re helping to implement. This builds the staff’s pride and ownership of their work!

This approach has served us well in reducing costs and improving patient services, while ensuring the continuity of the project. Our sustainable practices ensure our programs – and the community benefits they provide – last well after funding has ended.

Because of donors like you, we’re able to implement cost-effective programs that eliminate avoidable blindness on a sustainable basis. Thanks to you, we’re one step closer to realizing this exciting vision − For All The World To See!

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We would need to write an entire book to talk about every person you helped last year, and who knows? Maybe that will happen one day, but for now, I would like to share with you some of the highlights of 2017.

One of our favourite stories is Simon’s. A little boy who refused to give up despite losing his sight. Thanks to support from people like you, his life changed!

Then there’s Shabnam, a community health worker so devoted to her community that she will stop at nothing to help the ones who need it most.

And who could forget the smiling granny? Namey’s smile was brought back, thanks to kind-hearted supporters like you!

Usha diligently looked after her family by taking care of all the household chores, including cooking. But a day came when Usha couldn’t distinguish sugar from salt in her kitchen, and she feared what that would mean for her family. Luckily, Usha’s vision was saved!

Just look at that bright smile! Laxmi could barely contain herself when she opened her eyes after her cataract surgery!

And let’s not forget Ruth; this young girl’s future was starting to look dim as she fell four years behind in her studies, unable to see anything in class. But thanks to people like you, Ruth’s future has been brought into focus!

We have so many more stories to share with you! And we’re excited to see what happens in 2018. If you have a story you’d like to share, please do! You can email us at info@operationeyesightindia.org.

Thank you again for your incredible support in 2017. For All The World To See!

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For those of you who started preparing for the giving season way in advance, we thought about you too. There are some ideas here that would be great stocking stuffers for your loved ones.

But I’ve kept you in suspense long enough. Welcome to the solution to every Christmas shopper’s dilemma: Operation Eyesight’s Gift Guide. There’s a little something for everyone and every budget.

The holidays are usually an expensive season, but a gift from the heart doesn’t have to burn a hole in your pocket. You could provide the Gift of Sight in the name of a friend, family member or colleague with a $20 gift. Your gift will support our eyeglasses program, and could provide up to three people in Africa or in Asia with new prescription eyeglasses. Many children’s families in the countries we work in can’t afford the cost of an eye examination, let alone a pair of prescription eyeglasses. They then struggle in school and some even drop out because they can’t see the blackboard and fall behind in their studies. But your gift could bring their futures into focus!

Some of you might have a bigger budget, and I have just the thing for you. A $50 gift will help provide sight-restoring cataract surgery for someone who might otherwise go needlessly blind. Give this gift in the name of a loved one or friend, and help more women like Laxmi.

If you’re still undecided, you can give the Gift of Sight to those who need it most through our Greatest Needs program. With a gift of $60 or any other amount you choose, you can provide the best for the poorest in the name of a family member, friend, or colleague.

The best part is that these gifts are two in one. Each is both a beautiful message to a friend, family member or colleague, and a gift that helps Operation Eyesight work with local partners in Africa and Asia to transform the lives of children, families and communities by restoring their sight and giving them hope for a brighter future.

And that’s not all! Once you’ve selected your gifts online, you can choose to send your recipients eCards, either right away or at a future date and time. The eCards will include an overview of the work your gifts will support, and you’ll be able to add your own personalized messages, too!

And all this without the usual holiday fuss. No trudging through a crowded mall, no endless laps in the parking lot to snag a spot, and no fighting with that darn wrapping paper roll. Just a few clicks and you’ll be done your holiday shopping. And best of all, you can feel good knowing your gifts will have a lasting impact in the lives of those you’ve helped.

What are you waiting for? Check out our Gift Guide today and give the gift that gives twice!

Thank you for giving the Gift of Sight! We greatly appreciate your support this holiday season!

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