“I’m Victoria and I’m a 17-year-old Chinese Canadian currently living in Toronto. In the fall I hope to study illustration. Meantime, I have a part-time job as an art instructor. As soon as I started working, I made the decision to donate a third of my paycheque to a charity of my choice.

I found a website listing the most accountable international charities, and Operation Eyesight was on that list.

I think eyesight is the most important thing to me as an artist. To think there are people living in poverty who suffer with avoidable sight loss makes me realize how important my sight is. Because of this, I want to give others the same privilege. Donating to cure blindness can last someone their whole life.

I wanted to get a job so that I could decide where to donate my money. Donating $100 was a lot to me, but it felt like the right thing to do. I asked myself, what was I going to do with $100 anyway? By donating to Operation Eyesight, I can give people sight-saving eye surgeries, so they can see for the rest of their lives. 

After donating, I felt like I was part of something bigger and beyond myself. I didn’t feel entitled to the money, and letting it go to a cause felt good.

I encourage others to donate to charities and organizations as well, because donating is such a good feeling. Especially if it’s for a cause you stand behind.”

Thanks for sharing your story with us, Victoria! We’re so grateful for your support.

Tell us your story! How and why do you support Operation Eyesight? Call us toll-free at 1-800-585-8265 or email us at info@operationeyesightindia.org. We’d love to hear from you!

The post This young artist is giving the precious gift of sight and changing lives! appeared first on Operation Eyesight.

It’s hard to believe that 2018 has come and gone, isn’t it? Time flies.

Last year people like you helped us reach thousands of people in need of eye care. Thank you for your support! So many people, like Elagonda from India, were helped through your generosity.

Here’s a letter Elagonda wanted us to share with you:

“My name is Elagonda. I’m 65 years old and live in India.

 I’m not a wealthy person, and although I have two daughters who could help support me, they’re both married and have their own lives to attend to. What my family did have in savings was used to arrange their marriages into good families.

 So I live alone… I lost my husband a few years ago, and I get by on a small pension from the government. When I can, I do some farming work to make a little more money. I depend on my eyes to earn my living, and I only realized to what extent when I started to lose my vision.

 One day, my world was so dark that I couldn’t keep working. I had no other income, and I could barely survive on my pension.

 Unexpectedly, one day a community health worker trained by Operation Eyesight was at my door. She screened my eyes and told me I had cataracts.

 I was poor though. How could I afford the surgeries for my eyes? But the health worker told me that my treatment would be free of charge, thanks to Operation Eyesight’s kind-hearted donors.

 After my surgery, I can see again! I can work and spend time with my friends and neighbours. I have hope again.

 I sincerely thank the people who give their money to help people like me, even though they don’t know me. My sight has been restored – and with it, my happiness!”

 This year, we hope you’ll help us reach more people like Elagonda with the gift of sight.

Here’s to everything we’ll do together in 2019!

Cheers to a new year!

The post Happy New Year! appeared first on Operation Eyesight.

Of course, none of Operation Eyesight’s work could happen without your generosity. And as a result, amazing things are happening. Big things – like vision centres and blindness prevention programs and even entire health care systems.

And the big things are even more astounding when we look at them as their individual parts. Remember Ruth? Ruth started having vision problems when she was just five years old. Her teacher and her parents feared for her future. She couldn’t see the board at school, no matter where she sat in the classroom.

For children living in Africa and Asia (especially girls), getting an education is the one sure path to building a brighter future. Without it, the future can look very dim.

Ruth, and many others like her, live in poor and remote communities. Because of this, they don’t have access to quality eye health care, or eye health care education. And even if they do, more often than not, they can’t afford the treatment they need.

But thanks to your support, Ruth, and others like her, have been given such a loving gift – the Gift of Sight! Ruth received cataract surgery free of charge to her and her family.

Your support has helped thousands of people in Africa and Asia to this day. And we at Operation Eyesight can’t thank you enough for opening your heart to those who aren’t as fortunate as we are, with access to quality health care. If you’re a Canadian, then your costs are even covered by the government.

What’s more is that we know there are all kinds of good causes out there, all vying for your attention.

It can be a real challenge to raise awareness about the plight of the blind of Asia and Africa… but that’s why we appreciate you so much. By supporting Operation Eyesight, you have extended your hearts and minds to people on the other side of the planet – people you’ve never met, but you care about them all the same. And that’s incredible!

We at Operation Eyesight have met many of the people you’ve helped, and they all say the same thing: “You have given me back my sight and now I can live again. Thank you, thank you!”

We may be the ones who hear these words, but our patients understand that their eyesight was restored because someone far away sent a generous gift. When they say thank you, they say it with heartfelt emotion, and they’re saying it to you.

And we at the Calgary office also want to say from the bottom of our hearts, thank you, thank you! For all that you do – For All The World To See.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

The post A warm “thank you!” from people around the world. appeared first on Operation Eyesight.

On November 28, just about a month ago today, we kicked off the holiday giving season with GivingTuesday! Following on the consumerism of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, GivingTuesday is a special day dedicated to giving back around the world, and we’re proud to have made it an annual event for Operation Eyesight.

To help us reach our $25,000 goal, Calgary donors joined us for our third annual “Strikes for Sight” bowling tournament, and many others showed their support by making a donation online, or helping us spread the word to their family and friends. The result? We surpassed our goal!

Thanks to our supporters and a generous $25,000 matching donation from our wonderful friends at Maillot Homes, together we raised over $55,000!

Just imagine – that’s more than 8,000 children, women and men who will receive pairs of new prescription eyeglasses. All their lives will be brought into focus, giving them hope for a brighter future. And it’s all because of YOU!

Every year for three years we have been blown away by your support, and this year was no exception. Each year gets better and better – and it’s all because of generous donors like you! Thank you!

There are a few people we would like to thank for helping make this GivingTuesday a success:

First, our warmest thanks to Maillot Homes for their outstanding support. We are so grateful for everything you do for us!

Next, we would like to thank Lucas Taylor Photography for being our event photographer and capturing some great candid shots of the event, which you can see on our Facebook page.

And of course, thank you! Thank you for supporting our sight-restoring work, and for helping us bring so many lives into focus! We’re already looking forward to what we can accomplish for GivingTuesday 2018. Stay tuned!

Remember, there’s still time to give the Gift of Sight this year. Take a look at our Gift Guide and give the gift that gives twice!

The post GivingTuesday 2017 was a great success, thanks to you! appeared first on Operation Eyesight.