Imagine if you were a teacher who had a visually impaired student pulled out of class because her parents believed witchcraft was the cause. It may seem strange, but this was Kizito’s experience.

Using the PEEK  app on his smartphone, he screened the girl and referred her to a partner hospital for diagnosis and treatment. She then received sight-restoring cataract surgery.

Before she was treated, the girl’s mother was accused of causing her daughter’s visual impairment by attracting bad luck into their home. Sadly, the father left shortly after.

After she received surgery, another teacher reached out to the father and educated him about his daughter’s condition. Once he understood that it was a treatable medical condition, he returned to his family. Kizito’s student is back at school, and she has hope for her future.

“Peek Vision helps to manage eye conditions within the school and facilitates referral and follow up with affected students,” Says Kizito. “Most importantly, Peek Vision is creating eye health awareness and advocacy within the community.”

Our kind-hearted donors are making it possible for teachers like Kizito to transform the lives of students. Make a donation today to help thousands more children receive the eye care they need, giving them hope for a brighter future – For All The World To See!

The post Peek Vision has changed this teacher’s life! appeared first on Operation Eyesight.

Twelve-year-old Hellen was struggling so much at school that she eventually dropped out. What was the point if she could hardly see to keep up with her studies?

At home, she couldn’t help her mother pick up groceries from nearby shops because she couldn’t see to walk alone.

“I depended on my siblings to do my chores, and my mother thought I was being lazy. She didn’t understand my problem,” says a frustrated Hellen.  

As her vision deteriorated, Hellen not only stopped studying – she stopped playing with other kids her age.

Thanks to YOU, there was hope.

Hellen’s life changed the day her teacher screened her eyes at school and referred her for treatment at our partner hospital. Hellen was diagnosed with bilateral cataract and received sight-restoring surgery as well as a pair of prescription eyeglasses.

“Since the operation, my life took another turn,” says Hellen happily. “With my sight back, I’ve made new friends, and I’m confident in my future. I’m grateful for the support I received. Without it, I would still be at home.”

Donors like you made it possible for children like Hellen to see their futures in focus. There are thousands more children like her who are struggling with treatable blindness and low vision. Make a donation today to help keep kids in school and give them hope for a brighter future – For All The World To See!

The post Little girl’s hope for the future is restored appeared first on Operation Eyesight.

Take, for example, Alana Thorburn-Watt and Levente Kovacs. These two fourth-year students from the Alberta College of Art and Design (ACAD) have a deep interest in the people of the developing world, especially those with special challenges like vision impairment.

We met Alana and Levente through a very interesting project – our need to express the central issues around global blindness in a fresh but effective way, which led to a form of storytelling we had never explored before. We needed something for our website that would grab viewers and quickly explain the urgency behind avoidable blindness, in terms that everyone can understand.

Levente and Alana learned about our communications challenge through ACAD’s Student Resource Centre blog. They, in turn, wanted to contribute their expertise to making a difference in the world, as well as expanding their portfolio to different kinds of projects.

What followed was a series of successful meetings and a true merging of creative possibilities with organizational objectives. Alana’s and Levente’s skill with digital animation and storytelling gave life to the central message that millions of people can’t see things that you and I take for granted – and we can all do something about it, right now.

The result of our collaboration was a two-minute animated video called “See This.” We feature it front and centre on a very different kind of home page, launched on World Sight Day (October 13, 2011). Have a look! What do you think of our project? We’d appreciate your feedback!

We believe the video meets all our objectives, and are very pleased with the outcome, and we really enjoyed working with these talented young people. I’ll close with Alana’s words, which I hope will strike a chord with our other supporters – people like you.

“Be open-minded to different causes. Look around and see the good things people are doing in your community and around the world. You never know what will touch your heart and resonate with you.”

The post Fresh eyes tackle animation challenge appeared first on Operation Eyesight.