Please donate today so we can reach more people like Chawan, and give them access to life-changing eye care.
When Raj found out that Chawan had cataracts and was at risk of permanent blindness, he feared for his son’s future. Getting him to their nearest eye hospital became Raj’s priority. Father and son had to travel by foot, covering 15km of rough terrain, including steep hills and a dense jungle to get there. But when they got to the hospital, they found out that Chawan’s case was complex and he needed specialist surgery, far away in Kathmandu. Raj was devastated. He couldn’t afford to travel that far, let alone pay for the surgery. Fred used to say, “It’s obscene to let people go blind when they don’t have to”, and thanks to wonderful supporters like you, The Foundation was able to arrange transport for Raj and Chawan, making it possible for Chawan to get sight-restoring surgery.
You can help continue 30 years of life-changing work in Nepal, and realise Fred’s dream of good eye care for all. With your help, we have achieved a lot in Nepal but we are far from done. There are significant barriers in the way of realising Fred’s dream of quality eye health care for all.
There are 185,000 people who are urgently waiting for cataract surgery. Many of them are children, women, and people with disabilities, who don’t get the eye care they need.
More than a quarter of Nepal’s population lives in poverty. This means that affordable eye care is out of reach for many, making them more vulnerable to preventable blindness.
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Clementine was just one of those people facing this scenario: she was desperate to help her son, but the village where they live is hours from the nearest hospital. Travelling is really not an option for people in her situation.
Without outreach programs like the ones run by The Fred Hollows Foundation, finding help would have been very difficult. But a community health worker visited the area where Eric lives, and contacted Dr Ciku Mathenge, a leading eye surgeon who has restored sight to thousands of people
The majority of people who live in remote rural areas have little or no access to the eye health services that they need. The size and dramatic terrain of Nepal also acts as a barrier.
Chawan has a bright future, and it’s all thanks to someone like you. Not being able to afford eye care for his son was heartbreaking for Raj. But you made it possible for Raj to travel with Chawan to Kathmandu for eye surgery. Raj was so grateful to learn that caring people like you would make the surgery possible. In Kathmandu, Chawan received treatment from Dr Govinda Poudyal, who was trained by Dr Sanduk Ruit. Dr Ruit himself had received training from Fred. Fred had once said, “teach the teachers first, and then the teachers can teach others”. Dr Ruit has continued Fred’s vision of empowering local eye health workers. Chawan’s eye surgery was a success and when the patch was lifted, Chawan couldn’t stop beaming. Raj was overjoyed to see the change in him. He knows that Chawan’s future is now full of possibility. “I want to show him the world and teach him to help other people, ” Raj says.
With help from incredible supporters like you, The Foundation has been doing sight-restoring work in Nepal for 30 years and carrying on Fred’s vision. When Fred first went to Nepal, he saw an overwhelming need. But he wasn't overwhelmed. Instead, he rolled up his sleeves, and together with his great friend, Dr Sanduk Ruit, he set about transforming eye health care in Nepal. Fred and Dr Ruit were determined to give the people of Nepal a brighter future. They brought modern surgery to the country, trained local eye health workers, built important infrastructure, equipped hospitals, educated people about eye health, and spread awareness about the availability of essential services. Thanks to generous supporters like you, they raised the funds to establish the Tilganga Eye Centre in Kathmandu, a specialist hospital and training facility that has grown to be one of the most important eye health centres in the world. With support from everyday Australians, they also established the Fred Hollows Intraocular Lens Factory. By producing the tiny but mighty lenses needed for cataract surgery locally, they dramatically reduced the cost of treatment. Even though Fred is no longer with us, you are, and we are so thankful for your support. It’s because of your belief in Fred’s vision that we are still going strong, three decades on. There are 185,000 people urgently waiting for cataract surgery in Nepal. And just like Fred, we won't stop until we reach them. Thank you for believing that everyone has access to quality eye care, no matter where they live.
"Caring about other people is what being a human is all about."
- Fred Hollows
Donate today to restore sight in remote parts of Nepal