Sight Savers International

Sight Savers International is an organisation whose goal is to prevent loss of sight and to restore sight to curably blind people.

The Rotary movement has supported the organisation for a number of years through the Rotary Eye Camps programme.

The programme provides Outreach Eye Camps in India, at which local people can have a free examination, allowing simple problems to be treated.

In the event that there is a problem that needs hospital treatment, the patient can be referred to a purpose built Eye Hospital, run or supported by Indian Rotary Clubs.

The extent of need in India is severe - in 1999 Calcutta's Eye Hospital ran 46 Outreach Camps, treated nearly 20,000 patients, and performed 1,266 sight restoring cataract operations.

There are an estimated 10,000,000 blind people in India, with over half of them suffering from curable blindness in the form of cataracts.

After hearing of Sight Savers' fight against blindness, the Rotary Club of Astley elected to support the organisation in 2000 and donated a cheque from it's International Services fund.

According to then International Chairman Alan Prescott, the Astley club thought that Sight Savers International was a particularly worthwhile cause:

"If you close your eyes you can't see. It's hard to be self-sufficient if you can't see.

"By helping restore the sight of villagers, you're not just helping those individuals, but also their families. Whole communities are badly affected by the loss of sight of individuals."

The club requested that the money be used to finance the purchase of the medical supplies required for a rural screening camp, as well as a bicycle, in order that the drugs required could be distributed to local villages.

In a letter to the Rotary Club of Astley, Lorraine Brierley, North West Organiser for Sight Savers International, thanked the club for its support:

"It is through the fund-raising efforts of Rotary Clubs like Astley that we are able to continue our fight against blindness in the developing world.

"When you consider that each newly trained eye care worker is likely to serve a community for up to 20 years, treating up to 10,000 patients annually, you will understand how important a donation can be.

"Rotary's support really makes a difference to the lives of individuals and whole communities, as the restoration of sight and prevention of blindness enables them not only to enjoy seeing again, but also to play a full active part in family and village life."