Double your impact! Support The Fred Hollows Foundation World Sight Day 2025!
Until 31st October, every donation you make will be matched for World Sight Day. You and “eye”, double the impact! In a family’s darkest moment, your support shines like much-needed rain.
In a small Kenyan village, a family lived on the brink of despair. Eveline was already blind due to cataracts, and her two children—7-year-old Ruth and 2-year-old Vincent—were also losing their vision to the same condition. The entire family was plunged into fear and helplessness. But thanks to The Fred Hollows Foundation and our supporters, their lives were transformed.
Now your donation can have up to six times the impact.
Donate before 31st October and your one-off donation will be matched dollar for dollar by our corporate partners—doubling your impact instantly. Even better, monthly donations will be matched for the first six months.
*Matching funds are available up to HKD700,000—bringing the gift of sight to more families affected by blindness.
Three Family Members Lost Their Sight – But Their Blindness Was Treatable
This family of six in Kenya was already struggling to get by, but when Eveline lost her sight, their situation became even more desperate. The entire household could only rely on her husband’s back-breaking work delivering water to survive—each day grew harder.
Eveline said: "Before going blind, I would fry and sell chips at the market to earn an income - but I had to stop."
Ruth has repeated her school level twice and remains in a class with children two to three years younger than her. “She relies on her older brother to write her homework – something that doesn’t please her,” father Boniface said. Vincent is also unable to fully enjoy the world around him.
Eveline worries about being able to maintain the house. “My house is also not very hygienic – this is happening because I have no eyes to see and do things on my own,” she said. Eveline’s wish was simple—like any mother, she only prayed for her children to have healthy vision, so they could be self-reliant and have a better future.
Thanks to the generosity of donors, all three of them have now regained their sight.
“God has answered our prayers,” he said.
Fortunately, The Fred Hollows Foundation, with the support of the Ruma Women Development CBO were able to support surgery for Eveline, Ruth and Vincent. The medical team at The Foundation’s partner facility, Sabatia Eye Hospital, operated on one eye and the family will return for surgery on the other eye. When the family returned to Boniface, he was overjoyed.
“God has answered our prayers,” he said.
Eveline now hopes for a future with clear sight and for Ruth and Vincent, the chance to succeed at school. “I can see you very clearly. I’m so happy to the CBO and The Fred Hollows Foundation. We can see again,” she said.
Donate to double your impact!
Blindness and vision loss in Kenya
In Kenya, access to quality eye care is limited—but your support is helping to change that.
A growing crisis for eye health
More than 328,000 people in Kenya are blind, with 750,000 visually impaired.
Cataracts are the leading cause
Cataracts cause 43% of blindness in Kenya. Every year, around 14,500 new cases of cataract are discovered.
Women face greater barriers
Women experience higher rates of blindness, but fewer receive surgery than men.
Specialists in the country are limited
Eye care services are limited—half of all ophthalmologists work in Nairobi, leaving 40 million people with less than 50 eye doctors.
Your support is crucial!
Treating blindness not only transforms lives but is also one of the most valuable investments.
- Losing vision places children at a lifelong disadvantage—including limited employment opportunities and social isolation.
- 75% of learning relies on vision—blind children struggle to access education.
- In low-income countries, children with blindness are often forced to stay at home due to prejudice and lack of resources, and some are even abandoned.
- In Kenya, every dollar invested in cataract treatment delivers an economic return of USD52.
One year later...
The family’s situation is much brighter.
At school, Ruth can see the blackboard clearly and she is excelling in her studies, particularly in maths. The teachers praise her enthusiasm and eagerness to learn. The family dynamic has also been transformed by Ruth’s cataract surgery.
“Ruth has taken on a significant role in assisting me to prepare salads. This has fostered a wonderful opportunity for us to bond and spend quality time together,” Eveline said.
Vincent is still too young to attend school but can now play with friends who visit. And for the first time, Eveline can participate in the “chama” – a social enterprise that pools resources at the community level.
“Previously, I couldn’t join because I lacked an income and struggled to count my change. But now, everything has changed,” she said. The family’s transformation has attracted the community’s attention. Boniface says neighbours who once spoke negatively about the family now show them respect and admiration.
“Even the area chief has taken notice, personally inviting me to community events,” he said.
“The miraculous vision has brought us more than just clear sight – it has brought us hope, joy and a brighter future.”
Donate to restore sight!
Your donation will be DOUBLED during this World Sight Day!
You and “eye”, double the impact!
Donate before 31st October and your one-off donation will be matched dollar for dollar by our corporate partners—doubling your impact instantly. Even better, monthly donations will be matched for the first six months.
*Matching funds are capped at HKD700,000 or until October 31, helping restore sight to more families suffering from blindness.
Take action on World Sight Day and transform more lives. Blindness drives families into poverty and despair, yet a simple surgery can restore independence and hope. By helping someone restore their sight, you’re not only changing one life—you’re shaping the future of their family and strengthening their entire community. In Africa, the need is especially urgent.
This year, your donation can help:
- More than 250,000 people screened
- More than 18,000 cataract operations
- More than 2,200 people trained, including surgeons, nurses, teachers and community health workers
- More than 246,000 people educated in eye health and sanitation
Please donate now to help more people regain their sight — Your donation will be DOUBLED during this World Sight Day!
For World Sight Day 2025, The Fred Hollows Foundation is honoured to once again collaborate with TaiMaSing—the beloved character created by popular illustrator SoWingHong (Cheap Century)—in support of restoring sight. TaiMaSing has specially designed two exclusive limited-edition gifts to thank our one-off and monthly donors.
Corporate matching – One Off donation: 1:1 If you donate HKD150, our corporate partners donate HKD150 instantly, doubling your impact!
[Become a Monthly Donor and receive a limited-edition TaiMaSing Keychain]
This exclusive keychain features colour-changing “glasses” that react to UV intensity. The stronger the sunlight, the darker the tint—serving as a helpful reminder to wear sunglasses or seek shade to protect your eyes from UV damage.
Donate HK$150 Monthly — Our Corporate Partner Adds an Extra HK$900, Instantly Multiplying Your Impact Sixfold
[One-off Donation — With a gift of HK$150 or more, you’ll receive the TaiMaSing Eye Chart Lens Cloth
The lens cloth* is perfect for polishing your glasses or phone screen—and it comes with a playful eye chart design that reminds you to care for your own vision while helping others. And don’t forget: regular eye check-ups with an optometrist or ophthalmologist are just as important.
A gift of HK$150 Becomes HK$300 Instantly with Corporate Matching — Double Your Impact
*Matching funds are available up to HKD 700,000—bringing the gift of sight to more families affected by blindness.
*Available only while supplies last. Donate today to receive yours.
