Future back in focus for Ethiopian student

Hayat is thrilled to have the eyeglasses she needs to catch up in school. Photo: Zenegnaw Adimtew / Operation Eyesight

Imagine failing the same grade twice. And the first grade, no less. That’s an experience 11-year-old Hayat, in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia, has gone through. Today Hayat, held back by difficulties with her eyesight, is continuing to work on her first-grade accreditation, alongside seven- and eight-year-olds. Born with a twin brother, Hayat had vision problems from… Continue reading Future back in focus for Ethiopian student

Childhood friendship fuels hope for 23,000 kids in Ghana

While most Canadian schoolkids would have a hard time finding Ghana on a map, the West African country truly came to life for donor Sharon Margison when she was 10 years old. That year, her mother, then president of the Toronto YWCA, developed a close friendship with a young Ghanaian woman named Sika (also known… Continue reading Childhood friendship fuels hope for 23,000 kids in Ghana

World Sight Day 2024: A Focus on Child Eye Health

For millions of children worldwide, vision loss and blindness create barriers for learning, growth and opportunities — that’s why child eye health is a focus this World Sight Day. For 17-year-old Jennifer from Ghana, blurred vision made it difficult to keep up in class — until a simple pair of eyeglasses changed her life.  “I… Continue reading World Sight Day 2024: A Focus on Child Eye Health