AusRelief’s cut price $100 eye surgery is a mission for vision

AusRelief’s Mission for Vision is an initiative to treat those in developing countries suffering from unnecessary blindness due to cataracts. So far, AusRelief has implemented Mission for Vision in Indonesia and Tanzania.

The impact (on those receiving the treatment and those who donated towards it) has been incredible, and Crescent Foundation is delighted to support the supercharging of their initiative this year.

Each eye surgery costs $100, all added costs (travel & food for beneficiaries) are covered by AusRelief. Their next program is in Cambodia in 2022.

Support AusRelief’s campaign now:https://www.launchgood.com/campaign/mission_for_vision#!/

Tell us a little about yourself and why you do what you do?

AusRelief is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to alleviating poverty, sickness and under development using short and long term self-sustainable solutions.

With the help of our generous donors, we assist thousands of people every year by providing food and medical aid as well as education & infrastructure.

What is the cause you are raising funding for today?

We are raising funds to provide surgeries to those who suffer with cataracts, a clouding of the normally clear lens of the eye, causing unnecessary and curable blindness.

Many people remain needlessly blind simply because they live in poverty. In developing countries, blindness denies people education, independence, and the ability to work.

Up to 80% of visual impairment and blindness in adults is preventable or treatable.
Approximately 90% of those who are visually impaired around the world live in low-income settings with cataracts being one of the most common causes.

Why does raising funds for this matter to you and the organisation you are supporting?

“You cannot put a price on someone’s vision. In 2019 I went on AusRelief’s first Mission for Vision trip in Lombok, Indonesia. I did not expect the emotional toll the experience had on me. I met an elderly man who had lost his sight almost 30 years ago and asked him “What are you looking forward to seeing most after your surgery” and was blown away by his response. This man had not seen in almost three decades and all he wanted was to “make sure I am praying in the right direction”. We have a lot to learn from their humility and gratitude. Sight is something we take for granted, so this was a very ‘eye-opening’ experience.” – Danny Mikati, Director.

How will the funds you raise measurably impact lives? and how many lives?

Giving people the gift of sight will give them the opportunity to get educated, go to work and be able to provide for their families. When parents are sufferers of cataracts they rely on their children for regular household duties. Those children end up missing out on their childhood and the chance to get educated. While cataracts are normally associated with aging, they can, and do occur in children – especially those forced to work in tobacco farms (which is a main cause of cataracts in South East Asia). The impact is immeasurable – what price can you put on your independence? What our beneficiaries receive is more than a surgery, it’s more than their sight – it’s gives them to honour of feeling like they have something to contribute to society, it’s freeing them of being a burden to others. It’s not just the patient who benefits, it’s their families too – creating a ripple effect in their communities.

What’s distinct about the organisation’s work?

AusRelief has over 100 volunteers and field offices across the globe, allowing us to implement strategically wherever needed.

While we operate in developing countries, we make sure to bring our Australian standards of governance & implementation. While we are grateful to our donors and supporters and acknowledge that our work would be impossible without them, our first priority will always be our beneficiaries. Our work is governed by their needs and their valuable insight into their individual landscapes. Our mission is more geared towards solidarity than charity, as we aim to work with developing communities to empower themselves.

Why should we support this cause as opposed to all the other important causes that the world is suffering from now?

There are so many wonderful causes to support this Ramadan. But I think what is extraordinary about this cause is that it requires minimum input for maximum output – $100 gives someone their sight.

You couldn’t put a price on your independence or the ability to see your loved ones, but you can put a price on theirs.