‘WHITE C(R)ANE PROJECT’ – AIDING VISUALLY-IMPAIRED CHILDREN AND YOUTH

Background

More than 224,000 people are affected by blindness in Kenya with approximately 43% suffering from cataract, a leading cause of blindness which can be treated early with timely intervention.

In Kenya, most ophthalmological services are centered in urban environments. To address the need for quality healthcare in rural areas, Embracing the World organizes regular medical camps, sending volunteer doctors to impoverished areas for on-site medical examinations and treatment.

Today, more than 2000 patients have been treated through camps held in the Kibera Slum, Machakos, Thika and in Embracing the World’s orphanage: Amrita Children’s Home in Nairobi. In May 2013, in collaboration with the Greater Lions Club of Nairobi, Embracing the World brought a seven-member medical team headed by Dr. Maria Isabel Signes Soler from Spain, to perform 208 free cataract surgeries for the poor at Thika hospital, on the outskirts of Nairobi.

The Dream

In July 2014, AYUDH hosted its 10th anniversary summit with over 300 participants from 23 countries. The theme of the week-long summit was “Awareness in Action”, urging youth to consciously contribute to building a better world for future generations. On this occasion, Matthias Höfeld, a young AYUDH member from Germany, shared his vision with his peers. Blind since the age of 21, Matthias is supported by national health insurance, which provides him with the tools to make his daily life easier. Hearing about the difficult conditions of blind children in Kenya, where many of them do not even have walking canes, Matthias made a heartfelt plea to his peers: to help make life easier for young blind people, one step at a time. From this inspirational moment, the White C(r)ane Project was born.

The Project

The White C(r)ane Project aims to help provide aids to the visually-impaired, particularly children and youth. The white cane is a universal symbol of independence for blind people, enabling them to navigate their way in confidence and safety. With our project, we have chosen the symbol of a white crane, epitomizing the sense of hope and freedom that a cane can bring to the blind, like wings to a dove. On September 21, 2014, the United Nations International Day of Peace, AYUDH members around the world will play their part in raising awareness and funds for the benefit of the blind. Over the next few years we plan additional fundraising activities to ensure the sustainability of the project.

If you like to join in one of AYUDH’s global activities, or set up your own fundraising project, please contact info@ayudh.eu. In Kenya, a single blind cane costs approximately 10 euros. This amount often adds up to several monthly salaries for rural inhabitants. AYUDH aims to raise funds to ultimately support all blind children in Kenya with a cane. Renowned ophthalmic surgeons and doctors including Dr. Maria Isabel Signes Soler from Spain and Dr. Prabha Choksey from Kenya have pledged their support to the project, and will personally assess the needs and conditions of visually-impaired children to ensure the most suitable treatment and equipment. The first 300 canes will be gifted to blind children attending a school in Thika, Kenya.

Embracing the World

Embracing the World is a global network of regional humanitarian organizations inspired by the India-based humanitarian initiatives of the Mata Amritanandamayi Math, an NGO with consultative status to the United Nations.

Founded by world-renowned humanitarian leader Mata Amritanandamayi, also known as Amma, Embracing the World strives to alleviate the burden of the world’s poor by helping to meet their basic needs: food, shelter, healthcare, education and livelihood. Augmenting these efforts, Embracing the World also works in the fields of environmental conservation and sustainability, to help protect the future of our fragile planet.

Step Forward

We welcome your contributions to help benefit visually-impaired children and youth in Kenya.

Please send your donations in the name of AYUDH Europe’s co-ordinating NGO: ‘Verein Amrita e.V.’, Memo: ‘White Crane Project’.
All donations are tax-exempt and 100% of donations received will be put towards the funding of the White C(r)ane Project.

Name: Verein Amrita e.V., Indienhilfe
Bank: Volks- und Raiffeisenbank Neuwied-Linz

Within Germany:
Bank Code: 57460117
Account Number: 5205080

International:
IBAN: DE56574601170005205080
BIC: GENODED1NWD (56536 Neuwied)