During September, Aly will be visiting our project countries to meet with our international team and participate in 30 days of jam-packed activities, including inaugurating a vision centre, visiting an avoidable blindness-free village, touring some of our partner hospitals and participating in meetings with our staff, partners and eye health colleagues.

With so much ahead, we’re eager to follow Aly’s travels on social media, as he’ll be tweeting live updates when he can. Follow him on Twitter to stay up-to-date!

Aly will be representing our Canadian team and donors during his travels. “This trip is an opportunity for me to communicate the gratitude of our Calgary team and all our donors to our international teams for the work they do,” he says. “And also to connect our Calgary team with our international teams and strengthen the bonds between us.”

But this trip won’t just be business for Aly. “On a personal level, I’m representing my family. This is a chance for my parents and grandparents to give back to our home country through me. I haven’t been back to East Africa since moving to Edmonton with my family as refugees when I was two years old.” Aly says he’ll be carrying his family history with him as he sets foot on home soil for the first time in years, and it will be an emotional return for him.

We asked Aly what he hopes to leave behind and what he hopes to bring back to Canada…

“What I hope to leave with our international teams is a connection to me, to our Calgary office, so they know that we’re more than just distant names and titles. There’s a fire we share, and we can relate to each other through our mutual passion. 

What I hope to gain and bring back is the ability to absorb my experience and harness it as motivation for myself and for our Calgary office, our supporters and volunteers. I want to inspire them, so they know that together we can achieve more – do more to make our mission to eliminate avoidable blindness a reality.”

Aly is looking forward to seeing our work first-hand for the first time.

“I’ll be experiencing the outcomes of the work we do, seeing the results of our team’s hard work and dedication, and seeing the work that our donors have made possible. I want to empower our international staff, and I hope to let them know that they have my full support to continue doing the work they’re doing.

I also want to build new partnerships and strengthen existing partnerships. I want to let the world know that Operation Eyesight is making serious strides towards accomplishing our mission. And to do that, I’m going to challenge our stakeholders – our allies, volunteers, donors – to rally behind us and scale up with us, so we can reach more people in need and make an even greater impact.”

Is this outside of Aly’s comfort zone? He says that yes, it absolutely is – but that’s just how he wants it.

“I want to get a little uncomfortable. I grew up with a western perspective, so at times I’m going to be uncomfortable with what I see and hear and smell. It will all be unfamiliar and different. Communicating will be difficult, which means I’m going to be vulnerable. It will be an emotional time, and I need to be okay with that.”

We wish Aly all the best on his travels. There will be so much we can learn from his experience, and we’re all looking forward to hearing his stories and sharing them with you, our supporters.

Stay tuned to our blog and social media for more updates from Aly throughout September. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter so you don’t miss an update.

The post Aly’s emotional journey begins appeared first on Operation Eyesight.

Em was suffering from depression after her husband passed away. She was heartbroken, and nothing felt right. She was lonely, as most of her children had already moved out into their own homes, all but one of her daughters.

Living in Nepal and struggling to get by on what little income she and her daughter could make doing farm work, 83-year-old Em was devastated when her vision started to fade.

Without her sight, she had to depend on her daughter to care for her, but someone needed to make an income to afford their living. Many days went by with Em left alone at home, sad and afraid.

Em and her daughter thought there was no cure – it wasn’t uncommon for the elderly to lose their sight in their advanced years. They thought there was nothing to be done, and Em feared that her life as she knew it had ended.

She so missed going over to visit with her neighbours, but since her sight started failing her, she no longer recognized their faces. And without her daughter to guide her, she couldn’t get around on her own. One time, she fell down the stairs of her home! And sometimes she would trip in pot holes in the streets.

For Em, daily life became dangerous and scary.

“I was fearful about what was happening in my life. I was having trouble doing even the simplest things and I hated to constantly trouble my daughter. She had already done so much for me…”

Em’s daughter was also affected by her mother’s condition. She used to love to paint and sew in her free time, but between working and taking care of her mother, Em’s daughter rarely had time left over. Em felt terrible – she truly missed watching her daughter paint and sew.

This went on for two long years, and Em could barely stand it… Until something incredible happened. Something made possible by incredible people like you.

Em was visited by a community health worker trained by Operation Eyesight who screened her eyes and referred her for further examination at our partner, the Nepal Eye Hospital. Once there, she was diagnosed with cataract in both eyes and booked for surgery free of charge to Em or her daughter!

“I can’t imagine what my life would have been like had I not been helped. My life would have become so much harder, and my daughter would have needed to look after me even for small daily activities. I was afraid I might not live much longer…”

Em was apprehensive about the treatment at first. According to Em’s daughter, her mother was already on anti-depressant medication, which only worsened her fear of cataract surgery. But after some counselling, Em agreed to the treatment.

“I feel like I have been born again!” Em exclaims. “Now I have hope. I hope that my daughter can go back to painting and sewing, and reclaim her life. I look forward to visiting with the neighbours again, not that I’ve regained my independence.”

Now Em has become an eye health advocate, recommending that others in her village seek help and treatment. “I want others to be as happy as I am, now that I have my sight back. I came from darkness into the light, and I want others to receive that gift too.”

And em isn’t the only one celebrating. Her daughter is so happy too!

“With my mother’s sight restored, now she can recognize her neighbours and friends, she can talk and smile with them. She doesn’t need my help for her daily activities. And most importantly, though it might seem like a small thing, but it always puts a huge smile on my face when she picks small stones from the grains of rice we harvest while I’m working.”

Em and her daughter are so happy. They send their deepest gratitude to people like you who gave them new hope for the future.

“I want to thank the kind donors in Canada for doing such wonderful work in our country and for our community. There are still many more communities that need their help, so please continue doing such great work.”

Thank you so much for all that you do… Thanks to you, Em, her daughter and her community are receiving the eye health education and care they need! Just as Em said, there are still many who need our help. Have you ever considered becoming a monthly donor? Your monthly gift will have a lasting impact, and will ensure that help is always available when it’s needed. Please consider becoming a monthly donor today!

The post June is Cataract Awareness Month – Em’s Story appeared first on Operation Eyesight.

“My family and I are from Uganda, and my grandmother and her two brothers lived with avoidable blindness. Unfortunately, they never received treatment during their lifetimes.

When my family moved to Canada, we had very little. We all lived in a small bungalow, and my parents were away most of the day at work. So my grandmother would look out for my younger brother and I. Even though she was blind, she would wake us up, get us ready for school, get us fed and out the door to take public transit to kindergarten.

It’s pretty cool to see how my life has come full circle – by working with Operation Eyesight, the work we do gives back to Africa, where I was born.”

For Brian’s part, he’s sad to go, but he’s excited to take on new challenges and ventures.

“I’ve seen this organisation grow a lot over the years, and I’m impressed by how much our approach has changed. We started as an aid organisation and have evolved into a development organisation. Back when we were providing aid, I always worried what would happen to the people we were helping if anything were to happen to Operation Eyesight. Now our work has a generational impact through our community development, and I can rest easy knowing that people will be helped even after our work is done.”

Brian is proud of the organisation, and he says that what he’ll miss the most are the people. “I’m going to miss all the amazing people who dedicate their time to the cause – all our hard-working international team and everyone in the Calgary office as well. I’m proud of our organisation, and it’s been an honour to work with Operation Eyesight and to have had so many incredible experiences over the years.”

Aly plans to build on Brian’s legacy, and he has big plans for Operation Eyesight.

“When Brian became the Executive Director of Operation Eyesight, it was smaller. During his time in leadership, the organisation has grown and continues to grow in an upward trajectory. I look

forward to exploring how we can continue that upward trajectory. The elimination of avoidable blindness is realistic, it’s achievable, and I’m amazed by how much we’re doing given our current scale. It’s incredible to imagine what Operation Eyesight could do with more.”

Aly will be a wonderful addition to our team, and we can’t wait to see what we can accomplish together – to give the Gift of Sight to thousands more in need.

If you happen to be in Calgary, you can come help us wish Brian all the best and meet Aly at our Donor Celebration on June 25^th. If you would like to attend and haven’t received an invitation, please feel free to get in touch at info@operationeyesightindia.org and we’ll be happy to help you get registered.

Please note that we are asking for a $10 donation to reserve your spot.

The post Welcome to Operation Eyesight, Aly! appeared first on Operation Eyesight.

One example of this is Shashi (pictured above). She lives in a small village in Delhi, India in a small semi-concrete house, which she shares with her family.

She is unmarried and lives with her mother and her two brothers. Her eldest brother is running a small clothing shop, and what he makes from his work there he puts toward supporting the family. Unfortunately, Shashi’s family still faced a great deal of financial challenges.

Shashi wanted to do something to help financially, and she heard about Operation Eyesight. When she heard that they were training Community Health Workers to go door-to-door and screen them for eye health issues, she knew right away that she wanted to be a part of it.

Shashi had a hard time finding the job. When she did, her family wasn’t immediately supportive. Many women in India are not encouraged to work, but after she was hired, her family was counselled on the importance of the work she would be doing, and the financial benefits it would bring. Finally, Shashi’s family agreed that she could do the job (SDG #5: Gender Equality).

“It’s great work. I always wanted to help people in need in my community. This was my first time working with so many people, and at first I had trouble convincing the people about the importance of their eye health, especially when it came to eye surgery. It took time, but as people were treated, I started receiving appreciation from the patients who were helped and that was a great boost to my confidence” (SDG #3: Good Health and Well-Being).

Community health work is hard and involved work. Not only do health workers perform initial screenings, they also follow up with patients. Thanks to Shashi’s dedication, the people in her community have developed awareness about the importance of eye health as well as general healthcare (SDG #4: Quality Education).

Now people happily welcome her into their homes, trusting that she can help them.

“The work is very rewarding. There was one patient I helped who had cataract in both eyes. After counselling her about cataract surgery and referring her to the partner hospital for treatment, her sight was restored (SDG #17: Partnerships for the Goals). She was so happy! Now she has become an advocate for eye health, and her quality of life has been much improved.”

While Shashi’s mother was initially hesitant to allow her to work, she is now so proud.

“My daughter is working for a noble cause and helping people by referring them to be cured from avoidable blindness! I couldn’t be happier. Thanks to Shashi, our family is financially supported, and we are respected by our community.”

Shashi has decided that once she is done working as a community health worker, she wants to study to get a degree and become a social worker, with a focus on community development.

“This job has built my image as a social worker in the community. People respect me, they consult me when they have any eye-related issues. People now call me doctor!” Shashi says smiling. “It has also helped my family financially. I’m happy I can support my family and bring us out of poverty (SDG #1: No poverty). I would like to thank everyone who has made this possible, including Operation Eyesight and the generous donors who provided me with a great opportunity to work to help my community. It’s always been my dream!” (SGD #10: Reduced Inequalities).

The best part of it all is that it’s generous people like you who make our work possible. Your support is helping thousands see hope for the future, and is giving them a chance to break the cycle of poverty and build themselves a brighter future!

There are still so many people who need our help. By donating to our Screening and Outreach programs, you can help us train more dedicated health workers like Shashi, and restore sight to those who need it most – For All The World To See!

The post Changing communities through the elimination of avoidable blindness appeared first on Operation Eyesight.