Sightsavers
For 60 years Sightsavers has been working in the developing world to save sight and promote equal opportunities for people who are blind or have low vision. We work with our partners to prevent avoidable blindness and restore sight to those who are needlessly blind. Where sight loss is irreversible we provide education, training and support, providing people with the skills to live a more independent life.
Your lasting legacy to Sightsavers
We work in some of the world’s poorest countries to combat blindness and support blind adults and children.
It is estimated that the number of blind people in the world will increase to around 76 million by 2020 if action is not taken. With 90% of blindness occurring in developing countries, Sightsavers’ work has never been more important.
Gifts in Wills play a vital part in our funding each year and without them one fifth of our work would not be possible.
Our vision is of a world where no-one is blind from avoidable causes and where visually impaired people participate equally in society.
By leaving a gift to Sightsavers in your Will you can help keep this vision alive and help us to build a brighter future for millions of people. It need not be much, but its impact will be seen for years to come. Thank you.
Andy Weekes/Sightsavers
Nine-month-old Kuldeep Singh has been blind since birth. The Singh family live in one of the most remote villages in Bikaner, close to the border between India and Pakistan. Poverty and isolation, combined with extreme climatic conditions, mean that health is not prioritised here and there is a very high level of blindness.
Kuldeep’s condition was discovered during a survey run by one of Sightsavers’ local partners in north India, Urmul Seemant Samity. The aim of the survey was to find all people with disabilities in Bikaner and link them up with appropriate services.
Kuldeep wasn’t the only member of his family to be found with sight problems. Four other children including Kuldeep’s older sister were also severely visually impaired. “We took them to see the traditional healer, but he couldn’t help us,” said Hari Singh, head of the household and Kuldeep’s grandfather. “We had no choice but to accept the situation.”
Over 300 children were identified as having sight problems during the survey of around 200 villages. They were invited to attend a special eye camp where they could be properly assessed.
All of the Singh children were identified as having cataract in both eyes. The older ones were taken to hospital in the nearby city of Dahod and had successful surgery, supported by Sightsavers. However the doctors wanted to wait until Kuldeep was a few months older before they operated on him. Happily Kuldeep’s cataract operation went well.
“We are all celebrating,” says Kuldeep’s mother. “Five members of our family have new sight. We’d like Kuldeep to be a doctor when he grows up so that he can help restore vision and bring happiness to others.”
£1000 could pay for 200 trichiasis surgeries, relieving the terrible pain of this eye condition for people like Lente Orumoi.
£85 could restore the sight to five more people like Amina Omar blinded by cataract.
£125 could buy 6 Braille kits enabling blind children like Afsath to study alongside their sighted friends.
