London, UK - 26 November 2015: Millions of children suffering from serious sight problems are set to undergo life-changing treatment thanks to a $8 million donation from the Qatar Development Fund to eye care organisations who are part of the International Agency for Prevention of Blindness (IAPB).
The joint ‘Qatar Creating Vision’ initiative will fund surgical operations, support health centres and supply high-quality medical services in the developing world.
Contributing to the initiative will be an alliance of doctors from around the world, including Qatari doctors specialising in ophthalmology and world leading vision experts who volunteer for Orbis: an international blindness prevention charity, who are part of the IAPB. In addition, a number of Qatari youth volunteers will also look to support the project.
The initiative was cemented with the signing of an agreement at the Qatari Embassy in London on Thursday between His Excellency Mr. Khalifa Bin Jassim Al-Kuwari the General Director of Qatar Development Fund and Robert Walters, Orbis’s special envoy to the Middle East.
Director General of the Qatar Development Fund, His Excellency, Mr. Khalifa Bin Jassim Al-Kuwari, said:
"Qatar has a long standing commitment to driving forward a wide range of initiatives that will strengthen healthcare provision both in Qatar and throughout the world. Many people take vision for granted and don’t realise how significant eye problems can be, particularly for children in the developing world. This vital initiative provides us with an opportunity to help children in countries like Nepal, India and Bangladesh whose citizens have helped realise our own vision of a modern Qatar.”
Robert Walters, a member of the Orbis UK Board of Trustees, and Orbis’ special envoy to the Middle East, said:
“On this day, we come together to celebrate the signing of a multimillion dollar charitable grant from the Qatar Development Fund which will transform the lives of millions of people in the developing world, creating sight where previously only darkness prevailed. Qatar Creating Vision is a remarkable philanthropic agreement that will enable the world’s most disadvantaged people to fulfil their lives.”
Amongst those attending the signing ceremony on Thursday were His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Qatar’s Assistant Foreign Minister for International Cooperation and His Excellency Mr. Yousef Bin Ali Al Khater Ambassador of the State of Qatar in the United Kingdom. Also present were Her Royal Highness, The Countess of Wessex, in her role as Patron of IAPB, and a number of senior officials from the Qatar Development Fund and Orbis.
Her Royal Highness, The Countess of Wessex, said:
“I am delighted that the State of Qatar has cemented its commitment to this cause with the announcement of the “Qatar Creating Vision” initiative. This support will enable us and our partners to have significant impact on our mission to eradicate avoidable blindness in the developing world. I am deeply indebted to the State of Qatar for its willingness to join with us in this sight and livesaving work.”
The Qatar Development Fund, on behalf of the State of Qatar, is responsible for the implementation of international development programs through the provision of loans, grants and technical assistance to developing countries and key charities.
Orbis programmes focus on the prevention of blindness and the treatment of blinding eye diseases in developing countries. Since 1982, Orbis capacity-building programmes have enhanced the skills of 325,000 eye care personnel and provided medical and optical treatment to more than 23.3 million people in 92 countries. Orbis operates the world’s only Flying Eye Hospital, a fully equipped mobile teaching hospital on board a DC-10 aircraft. The plane features a 48-seat classroom where trainees are able to view live broadcasts of eye-operations, transmitted direct from the on-board operation room.