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Call for Donations
- Light at the End of the Tunnel – Help us to recover Kalkidan’s sight!!!
- The prevalence of blindness in economically poor countries, such as Ethiopia, is comparatively high compared to the prevalence in Western countries. This is mostly due to unhygienic living environments and inadequate or belated medical treatment, especially in rural areas. Studies on the prevalence and causes of visual impairments in Ethiopia of 2006 have confirmed that 90% of the cases of visual impairment could either be prevented or healed.
- Life without sight in a country like Ethiopia is harsh: Many people – also with sight – do not have access to water at their houses and carry their water containers from faraway places. The streets are bumpy and rocky and even in the asphalted city centers, such as in Addis Ababa, sidewalks are not secured and the many big holes in the ground constitute a severe risk especially for people without sight.
- Besides, educational and professional opportunities are very limited for people with visual disabilities due to a lack of awareness and resources for Special Needs services as well as stigma in regard to the potential of persons with disabilities among the Ethiopian society. Many people with visual impairment therefore live marginalized and in poverty. It is desolating to witness people struggling due to their visual impairment, especially if their blindness could be prevented or healed Just as it is the case with Kalkidan!
- Kalkidan is a 17-year-old girl, who until she was sheltered at Together!’s Rehabilitative Shelter for Visually Impaired Women and their Children, had been begging on the streets of Ethiopia’s capital city Addis Ababa to make her living. Because of her poverty and lack of means for living, she had to leave behind her own daughter in in the rural areas with her own father. At Together!’s shelter, beneficiaries receive not only food and accommodation, but also education, rehabilitative and capacity building trainings as well as medical services and treatment.
- When Kalkidan was taken to the hospital recently for eye examination, the specialist disclosed that Kalkidan could recover the sight of one of her eyes through a lens transplantation. The medical expenses for this transplantation, however, amount to 10,000 Ethiopian Birr (which is equivalent to 400 Euro) which Kalkidan most likely will never be able to pay even if she saved any left-over penny of her own!
- Let’s stand together and give Kalkidan back her sight by sending a donation!!! Any amount is a great support and step forward to cover the 400 Euro for her eye surgery!!!
Thank you very much for your support!!!
