China has the largest number of blind people in the world - accounting for 20% of the world’s blind population, but four out of five who are blind don’t need to be. A Founding Partner of The Fred Hollows Foundation Hong Kong, Goodman Hong Kong continues its support to end avoidable blindness by raising funds to restore sight for those in need in Huanxian County, Gansu Province, China through the 2018 Interlink Magic Mile Charity Run.
Huanxian is a national poverty county situated in a remote north western part of China, with a population of 355,000. The three-year project is expected to screen 130,000 people and provide cataract surgeries to over 600 patients. To create sustainable eye services in the county, the project will also provide eye care training to over 100 medical staff, community health workers and teachers, including the training of a cataract surgeon.
Through strengthening effective partnerships with local government and the County Prevention of Blindness Office to increase commitment for eye health services in Huanxian, The Fred Hollows Foundation aims to integrate primary eye care into primary health care in Huanxian.
Eye care in China is overwhelmingly concentrated in urban areas with most of the country’s 28,000 eye doctors working in urban hospitals. The need, however, is concentrated in rural areas where 70-80% of the blind live.
The ethnic diversity and remoteness of communities in Huanxian makes eliminating avoidable blindness particularly challenging.
The Foundation has been working in China since 1998 and our footprints have covered more than six provinces, including a flagship project supported by Goodman in national poverty county Xingtang.
Goodman, an Australian company with an expanding footprint in China and a proud history of corporate responsibility and sustainability, has helped The Foundation expand its impact and influence in the region.
The Ramp Run 2018 will fund development of eye care services in Huanxian from 2018 to 2021, making Goodman the exclusive corporate partner for the program.
For details: GOODMAN INTERLINK MAGIC MILE CHARITY RAMP RUN 2018