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!”

The post Thanks to you: Don McIver appeared first on Operation Eyesight.

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!

The post Community outreach enriches life in an Indian slum appeared first on Operation Eyesight.

Through first-hand experience I have observed the gaps in stated values and principles of some organizations and their actual practices. I have shared my observations and analysis with quite a few NGO leaders. While some happily accepted my views and suggestions, most, though they appreciated my perspective, expressed their inability to change their current practices.

The rationale given was not very convincing:  “We can pay higher wages only to the staff of the project that our organization is funding, but not to all. Other NGOs will not consider our request for an enhanced budget. We do not want to create gaps and acrimony among the staff of different projects supported by different donors.”

I question the ethics and the sustainability of adopting such a limited development approach. Post-project, I have seen target beneficiaries slipping back to their original status before the start of these projects. I have seen projects left incomplete or not finished according to agreed timelines because community workers chose to leave, or had to leave, in search for alternative job opportunities.

Coming back to the community-based workers in Operation Eyesight-supported projects, I am happy that they are not forced voluntary workers. They are paid salaries that are commensurate with their qualifications and skills, and are at par with local market rates. They exhibit not just their commitment to the work that they are doing for the benefit of their neighbours, but are also loyal to Operation Eyesight’s vision and goals.

Unlike what happens to the community-based workers with some other projects, my Operation Eyesight colleagues at the implementation level tend to continue with their work, although that work may be of a different nature.

With support from Operation Eyesight, they form what they call a Community Based Organization (CBO) during the implementation period of the project. These CBOs are registered with the government, enabling them to do development work and to raise funds to support this work.

It is a win-win situation for all. Thanks to our community-based workers, we are able to address the challenge of avoidable blindness in a systematic and sustainable manner. As a result, my work gains new meaning, too!

The post Community workers: the force behind change – Part 3 appeared first on Operation Eyesight.