I’m turning this post over to Orbis for their charity campaign “See my Future”.
Orbis – as some of you will know is famous for their Flying Eye Hospital, are in the process of running their See My Future appeal. For three months, until 23rd June, all public donations to the appeal will be doubled by the UK government.
I’ll let them take over from here
In many parts of the world, avoidable sight loss means children are dropping out of school. Issues such as refractive error, cataract and strabismus (severe squint) can all impede a child’s ability to see the blackboard, their text books and their teachers. In some cases children are dropping out of school to care for an adult with sight-loss.
See My Future aims to raise £850,000 and the UK government will match every pound, up to £2 million, which will help save the sight of thousands of children and adults around the world.
All of the money matched by the UK government will go directly towards expanding Orbis’s project in Nepal which screens and treats children with sight loss, enabling them to attend school and face a brighter future. All individual donations will support the charity’s vital sight saving work across the world, wherever it is needed most.
The aviation industry and Orbis have a long standing connection via the charity’s unique Flying Eye Hospital, a state of-the-art ophthalmic teaching hospital on board a customised MD-10 aircraft. It is a fully-integrated training facility, with an operating theatre, recovery room, and audio-visual equipment that transmits live surgeries to a 46-seat classroom at the front of the plane. Every year, the Flying Eye Hospital visits countries around the world, partnering with local hospitals to deliver specialist training through the charity’s expert medical volunteers.
Orbis Flying Eye Hosptal – Image, Geoff Bugbee/Orbis.
Orbis Flying Eye Hospital Program,Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – October 1 – 19, 2018 Sponsored by the Alcon Foundation, Geoff Bugbee/Orbis/caption]
Rebecca Cronin, Orbis UK CEO says: “With a simple eye exam and a pair of glasses, a child’s life can be transformed. Clear sight opens up a future of possibilities – children can return to school, play with their friends and contribute to society, breaking the cycle of poverty.
“With the UK government’s Aid Match scheme, our See My Future appeal really will have twice the impact – just £5.50 doubled to £11 could provide two new pairs of glasses for children struggling to see in school.
“We would like to thank Connectjets and Flightworx for their support. Our industries have collaborated for almost 40 years and what we have achieved since 1981, really does show how working together can make a real difference. By getting behind the See My Future Appeal, we can raise much needed awareness and funds to provide people across the world with the eye care they deserve.”
UK International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt said:
“Access to proper eye care can be life changing for a Nepalese schoolchild. Unchecked visual impairments can lead to blindness, meaning the child is forced to leave school, and potentially faces a lifetime of unemployment and poverty.
“By giving them basic eye-care, the UK Aid-backed See My Future appeal will help give a future to more than 300,000 children across Nepal.
“UK Aid Match will double every pound, up to £2m, which the Great British public donates to this campaign, meaning their generosity will go twice as far.”
The Orbis UK’s See My Future appeal runs until 23rd June. To find out more and double the impact of your donation, visit: www.orbis.org.uk/en/see-my-future
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