Human Appeal would like to express a warm thank you for your generous donations towards our Optic Centre in Gaza. You have helped us improve the eyesight and tooth recovery of over 20,000 vulnerable people. That means thousands of young children, widows, students and others now have improved eyesight and healthier teeth – both vital for long term health – all thanks to you!
Eyesight is a huge blessing. Those who are visually impaired perhaps appreciate the gift of sight more. They endure the hardship of sight difficulties every single day. Many have to touch, hear, smell or taste to sense what is within their presence. However, the gift of better sight is a life-changing experience, especially for vulnerable people with a lack of access to services in conflict-torn Gaza.
According to a medical report published in 2009, 16% of all diseases that people suffer from are eye related. This was one of the many reasons why we wanted to launch the Optic Centre so we can detect children who really do need medical treatment for their eyes.
Thanks to you, the Optic Centre is now offering medical checks for children, including the high number of orphaned children in Gaza. These checks are vital in monitoring eyesight and being able to detect and treat early symptoms of deterioration as quickly as possible.
Appropriate eyewear can be difficult to afford and obtain in places like Gaza, which is why so many suffer from eye issues – many do not have access to eye care or have the income to pay for prescription glasses. Constant squinting places immense pressure on the eyes of short or long-sighted people. If suitable glasses are not used in time, then it will only make their eyesight worse.
However, thanks to your generosity, thousands of people who needed sight correction can now wear glasses in Gaza. In fact, the centre has been able to provide glasses to 330 people and will continue to aid over 19,000. That’s an amazing achievement, so thank you!
Teeth related problems in Gaza can derive from water pollution, food shortages and from constantly eating unhealthy foods with less nutritious value. This is a serious concern, especially when not treated, as teeth can decay and lead to major health risks such as gum disease, and studies show that it even has links with heart disease and arthritis.
With your help however, our Optic Centre now provides medical aid, examinations and assisting tools for those suffering with teeth problems. Thanks to you, thousands of patients are smiling away with happy, healthy teeth and full tooth recovery!
In Gaza, the rate of school dropouts reached 18.6%. Many of those who dropped out of school did so as a result of visual impairment, causing lack of confidence and fear of talking about it.
Due to eyesight problems, young students were finding it hard to focus in lessons, negatively impacting their learning and self-esteem. They were surrounded by children who could see clearer and interact in classrooms better than themselves. These issues became a threat to a child’s motivation and academic performance.
Lack of eyesight monitoring and support in young children can cause long-term negative impacts on students’ futures, and makes them vulnerable to unemployment and poverty. However, due to your generosity, the Optic Centre has become beneficial to a large population of vulnerable people in Gaza. Thanks to you, the huge improvement of eyesight for many children is working as a platform for greater focus on their studies, creating a higher chance of successful employment in the future!
You’ve also helped us decorate and equip the Optic Centre! The Optic Centre maintains a theme of bright and warm colours, making the centre more welcoming to its patients. As you can imagine, children can become easily afraid of medical centres, fearful of being in pain during check-ups and treatments. In Gaza especially, where young children have been exposed to constant conflict, our aim was to allow children to enjoy their visit to the Optic Centre rather than dread it.
We’ve tried to avoid colours that make the centre look more clinical, and chose colours that will keep children calm and relaxed. Thank you for helping us furnish and decorate the Optic Centre in a way to uplift moods and prevent children from being nervous.
We’ve also completed the Optic Centre to be suitable for usage by including chairs and tables, and equipping the centre with required medical tools, equipment and installing modern equipment so we can benefit people more efficiently. So, thank you for bringing an amazing outcome to the Optic Centre!
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The Optic Centre is a testament of how far your act of generosity can go. You can continue to benefit children and orphans by donating to our Orphans and Children Fund. A staggering 387 million children worldwide live in extreme poverty. By donating, you can help give innocent little ones a brighter future.
