Everyone has their favourite causes. Here at latestsale.com, we’re proud to support The work of Sight Savers International– and we encourage you to do the same.

Here’s what they do:

Sight Savers International: - Click here to make a donation

There are 45 million people blind worldwide and a further 135 milion people who are visually impaired. Sight Savers’ work makes all the difference to the 80% of blindness that is avoidable according to Dr Gro Harlem Bruntland, Director General of the World Health Organisation 1998-2003. For 50 years Sight savers’ international have carried out 70 million treatments and restored the sight of 5 million.

Sight Savers’ International Mission

The vision of Sight Savers International is a world where no-one is needlessly blind and much of their work is also based on preventative measures that erradicate blindness, restore sight and for those that will never see again, provide support and rehabilitation training.

Where we work

Some causes of blindness

River blindness (onchocerciasis) is the major cause of blindness in West and Central Africa with 125 million people at risk, 18 million infected by the disease and 300,000 adults blinded as a result of it. It is caused by a parasite transmitted to humans through the bite of the black simulium fly that breeds in fast flowing streams and rivers. Within the human body, the adult parasite produces thousands of tiny worms which migrate throughout the body producing terrible itching and skin problems and on reaching the eye, they cause permanent blindness.

Some successful initiatives

If cataract is not identified and treated early ideally by the age of 7, a child may never regain full vision because the brain cannot “learn” to see after a certain age and 75% of a child’s learning curve in the early years is through vision. 90% of children who go blind or are visually impaired do not go to school and remain isolated from other children due to fear from their parents. 7 year old Fazar Ali who lives in Sirajganjin in Bangladesh developed bilateral cataract at 6 months old. His parents were worried that he may get knocked over by a car so would not let him leave the house. His sight was saved through a Sight Savers’ international initiative with amazing results and transformed the boy who is now able to go to school with his brother and sisters.

6 year old Lavin Sesay regained his sight after cataract surgery at the Connaught Eye Unit in Freetown in Sierre Leone. The doctor asked Lamin what he most wanted to see after his operation, suggesting it might be to play a game of football, instead he just says “I want to see my Mummy.”

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Every donation, however small helps

12 pence could protect 1 person from river blindness for 1 year in Nigeria
75 pence could protect 1 family from river blindness for 1 year in Nigeria

£17 could support an operation to restore the sight of an adult with cataract

£27 could support an operation to restore the sight of a child with cataract

£3,700 could support a one year course to train an ophthalmic paramedic in Malawi

How we spend your money

For every £1, 85 pence is spent on charitable expenditure to tackle blindness in the developing world (which includes 4 pence management and administration)

17 pence of every £1 is used to raise and an additional £1 through investment in fundraising and communications to ensure regular income

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Direct charitable expenditure

Figures based on Total direct charitable expenditure of £13,876,000

Please help us to continue raising valuable funds through Sight Savers’ International.

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