25 million people in the world are needlessly blind and can be cured by a simple cataract operation in less than 20 minutes for $25-50.
80 percent of the world’s 50 million cases of blindness could have been prevented or cured.
The world is slowly becoming more blind despite the best efforts of the world’s eye care organizations at current funding levels.
One World Sight Project (OWSP) and its participating doctors want to change this - permanently!
The ultimate objective of OWSP is to cure blindness in every country of the world as an example of effective international cooperation. We are initially focusing our efforts on Africa.
Our current fund-raising drive, the Eyes of Africa Initiative, is focusing our efforts on Africa. Cataract is responsible for almost half of the 7 million blind Africans despite the availability of a simple $25-50 procedure that could permanently restore their sight.
One part of our current fund raising efforts involves raising funds with BOTOX® Cosmetic and use the money to cure blindness in Africa with both relief and sustainable development.
How does a Botox fundraiser work? The concept is simple: take the growing trend of women and men getting treated with BOTOX® Cosmetic in the United States and turn it into a philanthropic call to action to end blindness in Africa. In a pilot project in 2005, 49 patients were treated in one day, which raised funds that cured 132 people of blindness in Tanzania and Tibet.
A nationwide BOTOX® Cosmetic fundraiser on November 16, 2007 Our current goal is to expand on the success of the pilot project. Unlike the previous fundraiser, which was local to Southern California, this year’s event will span the entire United States, and we’ve already received commitments from physicians in more than 40 states. Allergan (makers of BOTOX® and BOTOX® Cosmetic) has again donated enough product to support the fundraising initiative and the doctors are entirely donating their time. Over 1000 people around the country will help by having a minor cosmetic procedure, to support blindness prevention and treatment activities in Africa.
In addition, we’ll actually cure more than 100 people who are needlessly blind in Tanzania, simultaneous with the event. We will be posting videos of some of the sight-restoring activities in Tanzania (and perhaps feeds from some of our offices) on the web prior to and during the event.
Click play below to watch a short music video that captures the spirit of the One World sight Project.
