“We learned that patience is very important to handle kids of this age group,” laughs Jyotsna, one of the volunteers from Sagility Health. Smiling, she adds, “the kids were amazing, and they were cooperative, and the event went really well.”

The screening was part of our corporate relations programme, which invites companies to financially support eye health initiatives and provides their employees with the opportunity to participate in programme delivery.

In this case, volunteers from Sagility Health helped organize the excited children into queues, documented the students’ information, and held up the “Tumbling E” eye charts – standard tools used when screening young children for eye conditions. Members of the ophthalmic team from the L V Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI) were on hand to conduct a more thorough screening on any child identified as having potential vision problems.

In a single day, 16 children received prescriptions for eyeglasses and another three got referrals for further diagnosis at LVPEI. All the children took part in an eye health education session, which included instruction in eye exercises and diet.

In addition to helping with the screening, the Sagility Health volunteers also made donations to cover the cost of the prescription eyeglasses for the students who needed them.

Over the past decade, we’ve been developing a range of school eye health programmes, both in India and in our other countries of work. The idea is to train teachers and volunteers to conduct or assist with eye health screenings right in the classroom. This means we can screen more children, and helps us make sure that girls, often overlooked for eye health care, are getting the same access as their male counterparts. Finally, by reaching out to children, we can help them and their families become familiar with the eye health care available to them, empowering them to seek eye treatment in the future.

Our Head of Resource Mobilization Subhadip Bhattacharya, who organized and attended the event, says he looks forward to facilitating more volunteer projects like this one.

“The energy from the students was palpable,” he says. “They were so excited to participate in the eye screenings. Likewise, the volunteers from Sagility Health had a great time and learned a lot about eye health. This is the first time they participated in a student eye screening volunteer programme, and their enthusiasm was notable. It’s a win-win for us when we can provide eye health screenings to children while also offering an exciting employee experience to our corporate partners.”

Two of the volunteers say they were touched by all the students clamoring for their attention and addressing them as ‘teacher’. “We are feeling very happy,” they say, “We are recollecting our school days.”

To learn more about our corporate relations program, visit: operationeyesightindia.org/corporate-relations

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We were especially pleased to have representatives from both the Gullison and Jenkyns families on hand for the celebration. Back in 1963, Canadian doctor Ben Gullison inspired businessman Art Jenkyns to found Operation Eyesight here in Calgary; and their family members remain strong supporters of the organization to this day. We are grateful for their ongoing support!

We’re also appreciative of our generous sponsors, who covered the entire cost of the celebration:

• Active Accounting;
• Davis LLP;
• Greg McKernan Graphic Design;
• Maillot Homes;
• Renfrew Insurance; and
• Sure Systems.

Other donors and supporters from across Canada and other countries weren’t able to be there for the event, so we’d like to express our deep gratitude to them for helping us prevent avoidable blindness since 1963. Thanks to you, millions of people have had their sight restored, or else never lost their vision in the first place. What an impact we have made together!

How did a recognized international development organization get started as a tiny charity in a Calgary church basement? Read more. Photos by Desiree Peters.

The post Not just an AGM: Wasn’t that a party?! appeared first on Operation Eyesight.

If you live in Campbell River, BC, you might open your mail one day to find a greeting card and gift from an enthusiastic Operation Eyesight supporter… even if you don’t know him personally.

For the past 30-plus years, Don McIver has celebrated local milestones by giving friends, strangers and organizations like Rotary and church groups a tribute gift from Operation Eyesight: a cataract surgery that will restore the sight of someone in a developing country.

“I like the idea of giving,” he says. “My wife Joan and I were hooked from the first time we gave that gift. To think that two people with no medical capabilities could give the gift of sight to people in far-away countries… it was the best thing we could do for anyone.” He hopes the recipients, in turn, like the idea and choose to give themselves.

Don volunteers for a number of local events, including the Campbell River Dance, film festival and Christmas craft sales. He sets up a table offering what he calls “eye cards,” greeting cards from Operation Eyesight that fund cataract surgeries in Africa or India. Many people contact the organization to purchase the cards, and at least one couple bought all their Christmas gifts through Operation Eyesight, thanks to his promotion.

Don is pleased that additional good is resulting from his steady volunteer schedule. “I’m always happy when we can give more cataract surgeries. Thirty dollars won’t do much for us here, but we can make such a difference in another person’s life by giving.”

As a father and grandfather, Don recognizes the difficulty presented by being blind in a developing country. “It’s difficult enough to raise kids here in Canada. But imagine when a mother loses her vision, or a husband loses his job. Imagine when children are born with congenital cataracts.”

Don regularly reads SightLines newsletters and watches the videos that offer a glimpse of lives impacted by generous donors. He has worked with the community television station to air Operation Eyesight videos, further helping to share the organization’s story with a wider audience.

Long retired from his work in a local pulp and paper mill, Don now enjoys being outside as much as he can. He himself recently had cataract surgeries, and is now doubly appreciative of healthy eyes.

“There are so many nice things in nature to enjoy,” he muses. “What pleasure we have from eyesight!”

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Rasoolpura is a remarkable initiative. After just five years in operation, the project has enabled such positive change in the community. One of the first things I noticed during my visit was the palpable sense of pride exhibited by the residents. It is astonishing, especially given the negative images that I, and probably many other Westerners, associate with the word “slum.”

After venturing into Rasoolpura with our team, I realized very quickly that Operation Eyesight’s activities are a catalyst for broader economic and community development. Rather than purely concentrating on eyesight issues, we are embedded in broader community initiatives, which helps us track the people who need support when it comes to preventing and treating avoidable blindness.

One of the earliest and most important activities Operation Eyesight undertook in Rasoolpura was a complete census and mapping of area residents. Every dwelling was visited and instances of eye issues and blindness were noted, along with other health conditions. As a result, targeted work that addressed the issues facing residents could begin. Today, avoidable blindness is almost eradicated in Rasoolpura!

In addition, by partnering with other non-governmental organizations and government agencies, we help bring complementary services, skills and education to the community’s residents.

For example, on our way to visit the testing centres where our vision technicians work, we passed a young mothers’ nutrition class being conducted on a street corner. In another area of the community, babies were being weighed, which helps Operation Eyesight teams monitor possible pockets of nutrition or vitamin deficiency. We also visited cooking and sewing classes. While Operation Eyesight doesn’t provide these services directly, we refer residents to other organizations that do.

As we toured Rasoolpura, what became very clear to me is what makes Operation Eyesight different from other organizations: our community outreach. It’s how our staff reach out to find health issues and then connect people with organizations who can help (if it’s not us). Our community health workers, who themselves live in Rasoolpura, are an integral part of the community.

My lasting impression is that the project and our staff members are empowering the community through education and organization to better look after and develop itself from within.

It’s not about outsiders coming in and throwing around money and expertise. It really is about sustainable development – enabling members of the Rasoolpura community to take care of their own, now and in the future.

And it’s all made possible by you, our donors and supporters. Thank you!

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