Key Activities
There are about 37 million blind people in the world and 90 per cent live in developing countries. One-third of cases of blindness are treatable by relatively simply means or could have been avoided in the first place. Eighty per cent of the world's 650 million persons with disabilities live in developing countries and 45 million of them are children. Only a very small percentage has access to basic health care and basic education.
Prevention of blindness and restoration of eye sight is the most important sector focus in the programmatic work of Light for the World. With its engagement Light for the World contributes to the elimination of avoidable blindness in the context of the international initiative "VISION 2020 – The Right to Sight" in poor regions, targeting marginalised and neglected people without access to eye care and rehabilitation. Light for the World aims to be considered a competent and flexible partner in the planning, implementation and evaluation of initiatives set in this area.
Light for the World commits itself to creating new opportunities for persons with disabilities, increasing mobility with the help of devices and starting initiatives that will provide education and incomes. Another objective is to raise awareness on the inclusion of persons with disabilities in their family and social environment. This is an important basis for inclusion and for the autonomy and self-determination of persons with disabilities. Raising public awareness on the situation of persons with disabilities in developing countries forms an important part of Light for the World's work.
Light for the World has chosen six priority countries and nine more programme countries to focus its work - Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, DR Congo, Mozambique, Rwanda and Southern Sudan. In addition, Light for the World is active in the following countries and regions: Kenya, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Northeast India, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Bolivia and Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Guiding principles in cooperation with partners in the developing world
- Support local partners in underprivileged regions of the world in their work with and for people who are blind, have other disabilities or are at risk of becoming disabled.
- Provide help irrespective of gender, ethnicity or religion and in particular to very underprivileged groups, such as women, children, indigenous peoples and marginal groups in society.
- Act according to the needs of the people affected.
- Programmes reach as many people as possible.
- Support programmes leading to sustainable strengthening and social inclusion of people who are blind or have other disabilities in their communities.
- Support programmes also in difficult periods and respond to current challenges with endurance, perseverance and flexibility.
- To apply efficient and economical use of funds in projects and take into consideration principles of ecological and social sustainability and fair trade whenever possible.
- Enable a global exchange of experiences regarding effective and efficient concepts in the programme areas that Light for the world support.
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