The moment she'd been waiting for
Two years ago, 23-year-old Parveen's life changed in an instant when a live electrical wire brushed her face. The physical scars healed, but the injury slowly stole her sight.
She was pregnant at the time of the accident and by the time her son, Pervez, was born, Parveen could not see his face. Holding him close, she shared the heartbreaking reality of losing not only her vision, but the ability to care for her children.
"I have eyes but I can't see. My child is in front of me and I can't properly take care of him."
Before leaving for hospital, she had just one wish.
"I want to see my son for the first time."
Thanks to caring supporters like you, Parveen received the cataract surgery she desperately needed. The following morning, her eye patch was removed and, for the very first time, she saw her little boy.
Nine out of 10 people who are blind or vision impaired don't need to be. Your support helps The Fred Hollows Foundation bring life-changing eye care to people who would otherwise go without it, so more families can experience moments like Parveen's.
The barriers are real
Too many people in Bangladesh are still missing out on the eye care they need.
Nearly 750,000 people are blind
More than six million people in Bangladesh are living with vision impairment, yet many eye conditions can be prevented or treated.
Distance puts treatment out of reach
For many families, the nearest eye hospital is hours away. The cost of travel, accommodation and treatment can make sight-saving care impossible to access.
Women face greater barriers
Women are more likely to experience blindness but less likely to receive treatment because of financial, cultural and social barriers.
Too many people are still waiting
With stronger local eye health services, more people can receive treatment before avoidable blindness changes their lives forever.
Together, we can transform eye health in countries like Bangladesh
The Fred Hollows Foundation has worked with partners in Bangladesh since 2008, building stronger local eye health systems that continue changing lives long after surgery is complete.
With your support, we can:
- Bring eye health services closer to remote communities.
- Train more local eye health workers and surgeons.
- Strengthen hospitals and community screening programs.
- Remove barriers by providing transport, accommodation and treatment for people who otherwise couldn't afford care.
Since 2008, in Bangladesh your support has helped:
- Screen more than 3.9 million people.
- Support more than 272,400 cataract surgeries.
- Reduce the prevalence of cataract across Bangladesh.
- Build stronger, more sustainable eye health services that reach the people who need them most.
Fred believed where you live should never determine whether you can see
Fred Hollows believed quality eye care should be available to everyone, no matter where they live or how much money they had.
That belief continues to guide our work in Bangladesh today. Together with local partners, your kindness helps us train eye health workers, strengthen hospitals and bring sight-saving care closer to communities, so more people can receive treatment before it's too late.
Your support doesn't just restore sight today. It helps build stronger eye health systems that will continue changing lives for generations to come.
"The biggest gift you can give is your own contribution to making the world a better place." — Fred Hollows
