Volvo Car Raffle - Benefits 2 non-profits

IEF Raffle benefits not one, but two non-profits.

The International Eye Foundation(IEF) held a raffle to raise funds for eye care in developing countries. If all the tickets were sold, the prize was a Volvo Station Wagon. if less were sold then the winner received 50% of all the income from the raffle.

In a surprise outcome, the winning ticket was not only sold by a non-profit, IEF, but was also purchased by a non-profit, the Marietta Restoration Associates (MRA). Pictured on the right is IEF's Finance Director, Edward Henderson, holding the basket of tickets as the manager of the Kensington Branch of the Chevy Chase Bank draws the winning ticket. Seen on the left is IEF's Development Director, Wendy Codd presenting a check for the winnings to the MRA President, Raymond McKeeby.

The money raised from the raffle has been put to good use. Restoring sight around the world, and restoring an historic building in the USA - the Vesta Furnace in Marietta, PA.

Guatemala Visit

Recently I was able to visit IEF's Guatmala partner clinic, Visualiza, in Guatemala City. There I was able to see at first hand the amazing work that the the dedicated staff, under the leadership of Ophthalmologist Dr. Mariano Yee, do to prevent blindness and restore sight to those who otherwise would be unable to see.

The Visualiza Clinic has a strong school outreach program in Guatemala. During my visit, children from La Escuela Oficial Rural Mixta, Caseno La Virgin, who had been diagnosed with vision problems came to the clinic for additional testing. The children had made a poster and written thank you letters and cards. Here is a photograph of IEF's Director of Development, Wendy Codd, accepting this poster on behalf of the Clinic staff.

Gates Award Nomination

The International Eye Foundation – Gates Global Health Award nominee.

IEF was nominated for the 2009 Gates Award for contributions to improving global health.

It was a great honor to receive a nomination for this prestigious award, however, the award for 2009 went to another worthy institution – we congratulate them on being selected.

The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine — the first academic institution to win the annual prize and the first British winner — was chosen by a jury of international health leaders for its efforts to build health systems and train health personnel in low-income and post-conflict countries while researching diseases that particularly affect disadvantaged people, including malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS.

Gender and Eye Health

Leading US-based eye care NGOs held a briefing, “Seeing Women: Taking on Gender Inequities in Global Blindness Prevention,” at the National Press Club in Washington, DC on April 30, 2009 exploring links between gender and blindness, poverty, disability and education. NGOs and groups advancing the rights of women presented case studies and effective strategies that work in improving access to eye care services for women and girls

“Globally, women bear a greater burden of blindness than men,” said Victoria Sheffield, President, International Eye Foundation. “Clear evidence from developing countries shows that women receive fewer eye care services in part because eye care programs are not tailored to meet the needs of women and second, cultural and social barriers exist at the community level.”