An Afghan Refugee has Her Eyes Tested at a Health Clinic Set Up by the UNHCR to Mark World Refugee Day in Islamabad
An Afghan refugee has her eyes tested at a health clinic set up by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to mark World Refugee Day in Islamabad June 20, 2014. World Refugee Day, an occasion that draws attention to those who have been displaced around the globe, falls on June 20. Reuters/Stringer

Replicating the spirit of Corporate Social Responsibility or CSR by big companies, a young woman New Zealand entrepreneur has offered to fund cataract operations in the Pacific, from the profits of her business in organic mascara. Bonnie Howland is keen to reach out to people suffering from cataract related eye diseases in the Pacific.

The entrepreneur, who is just 18, is hoping to fund cataract operations by giving out the profit from the sale of her brand of organic mascara. Howland makes Indigo brand of eye make-up, using coconut oil sourced from Samoa, reports Radio Australia.

Humanitarian Concern

The young entrepreneur told Radio Australia that she will channel all profits from her brand through the Fred Hollows Foundation, and use the money to pay for the sight-restoring surgery. Participating in the radio's "Pacific Beat” program, she hoped the cause for eye care could make a difference in the society, after she personally witnessed many cases of curable blindness in the Pacific region.

Citing a specific instance, Howland said, when she travelled to Vanuatu she came across the plight of a solo mother who went blind due to cataract. Because of the woman's pitiable condition, her young daughter had to drop out of primary school to take care of the mother. She was moved by that real life story. On returning home, Howland began wondering how the multi-billion dollar industry can play a role in helping the needy.

"The mascara isn't being sold in retail outlets or online yet, but I'm hoping we'll be launched in the next six months," Howland said and hoped it would make a big impact in the Pacific Islands.

Mobile Eye Clinic

Meanwhile, Fred Hollows Foundation NZ has embarked on a mobile eye clinic initiative to Fiji after its road show in Auckland. Manufactured and funded by New Zealanders, the clinic is a 11.5 metre facility, and plans to travel into remote parts of Fiji, providing sight-restoring services to curably blind people.

The Foundation’s Executive Director Andrew Bell says the mobile clinic gives a unique opportunity to step foot inside a real-life eye clinic and learn about what is involved in delivering eye care in the Pacific, according to a press release.

Treatments

The mobile eye clinic will provide a full primary eye health examination service and do cataract surgeries and diabetic retinopathy laser treatments. The clinic will be shipped to Fiji in March by Matson South Pacific. This will be the first time a travelling clinic of this type will be deployed in the Pacific.

Bell added that the initiative will break down accessibility barriers and clear the backlog of avoidable blindness in Fiji and tackle the issue of diabetes-related eye disease, which is rising dramatically, right across the Pacific region.

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