Community Investment
Seeing is believing
In 2003, to celebrate our 150th anniversary, our employees launched Seeing is Believing, which aimed to help restore the sight of individuals around the world.
- In 2003, we aimed to restore the sight of 28,000 people across the globe. We doubled that target and helped 56,000 people to regain their sight.
- Our second target of raising USD6 million was reached one year ahead of schedule and we are on target to have contributed to one million sight restorations by World Sight Day 2007.
Inspired by these achievements we consulted with leading eyecare agencies and the World Health Organisation (WHO). On World Sight Day 2006 Seeing is Believing announced its most ambitious target yet and broadened its scope from curing blindness to critically to helping prevent avoidable blindness.
Seeing is Believing aims to raise USD10 million by World Sight Day 2010 to fund medical, community and education projects to make a difference to the lives of 10 million people across 20 countries.
Seeing is Believing is now working in partnership with the IAPB (The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness) with the support of the WHO. Over the next four years it will continue to help people with cataracts as well as tackling other forms of preventable blindness including trachoma, river blindness and various forms of childhood blindness as well as refractive error.
Seeing is Believing has the ability to change millions of peoples' lives across the globe. The funds raised in this programme will go towards operations, medical equipment, education, training and awareness. To support Seeing is Believing or find out more, visit the Seeing is Believing website.
The drive and enthusiasm of staff is fundamental to the success of this initiative. High levels of staff engagement have enabled Seeing is Believing to grow its ambitions and make a significant difference to the eye health of some of the most vulnerable people in our markets. A recent survey of staff revealed that 97% of employees are 'proud' or 'very proud' of Seeing is Believing. This powerful initiative has brought staff together across markets, businesses and targets as well as helping us engage with our customers and clients.
By broadening the scope of Seeing is Believing staff will have greater opportunities for engaging with the work and beneficiaries of projects though employee volunteering opportunities and the use of core skills to support the implementing NGO operating across our markets.
We have established an Advisory Committee of external advisors and experts chaired by Richard Meddings, Group Finance Director to ensure the good governance of the initiative.