Happy New Year!

Woman from India claps happily after having her sight restored
Elagonda claps with excitement when describing her surgery, made possible by caring people like you.
Written by Aly Bandali, Former President and CEO, published on January 1, 2019 Give the Gift of Sight
Woman from India claps happily after having her sight restored
Elagonda claps with excitement when describing her surgery, made possible by caring people like you.

Happy 2019!

It’s hard to believe that 2018 has come and gone, isn’t it? Time flies.

Last year people like you helped us reach thousands of people in need of eye care. Thank you for your support! So many people, like Elagonda from India, were helped through your generosity.

Here’s a letter Elagonda wanted us to share with you:

“My name is Elagonda. I’m 65 years old and live in India.

 I’m not a wealthy person, and although I have two daughters who could help support me, they’re both married and have their own lives to attend to. What my family did have in savings was used to arrange their marriages into good families.

 So I live alone… I lost my husband a few years ago, and I get by on a small pension from the government. When I can, I do some farming work to make a little more money. I depend on my eyes to earn my living, and I only realized to what extent when I started to lose my vision.

 One day, my world was so dark that I couldn’t keep working. I had no other income, and I could barely survive on my pension.

 Unexpectedly, one day a community health worker trained by Operation Eyesight was at my door. She screened my eyes and told me I had cataracts.

 I was poor though. How could I afford the surgeries for my eyes? But the health worker told me that my treatment would be free of charge, thanks to Operation Eyesight’s kind-hearted donors.

 After my surgery, I can see again! I can work and spend time with my friends and neighbours. I have hope again.

 I sincerely thank the people who give their money to help people like me, even though they don’t know me. My sight has been restored – and with it, my happiness!”

 This year, we hope you’ll help us reach more people like Elagonda with the gift of sight.

Here’s to everything we’ll do together in 2019!

Cheers to a new year!