Rotary pledge to help Nepalese see
Graeme Guilford wants you to give the gift of eyesight this Christmas.
The Matamata Rotarian said if locals can donate $25, eye surgery can give sight to a Nepalese and change their lives.
‘‘They are such a poor country and they’ve had this enormous earthquake,’’ Graeme said of the country that means so much to him.
‘‘When we were there [in 2011] there were three storied buildings with big cracks down them. They had nothing and that was before the quake.
‘‘They looked so unstable any-
‘‘Everything has fallen down and they need rebuilding but I think you’d rebuild your house a bit better if you could see.’’
way and then you get a massive earthquake. Everything has fallen down and they need rebuilding but I think you’d rebuild your house a bit better if you could see.’’
Non-essential medical care like eye operations are easy to put on the backburner when the country is suffering so much, Graeme feels.
A lot of the world has seen the devastation in Nepal and have provided millions of dollars in relief.
‘‘But there are still thousands of people that need eye operations and if they don’t get them, they’re still blind,’’ Graeme said.
The businessman feels passionately that this is something that shouldn’t be ignored.
‘‘It wouldn’t happen here in New Zealand,’’ he said.
Because of how the Nepalese live, in huts with dirt floors and no real ventilation or lighting, cooking over an open fire in their hut often damages their eyes.
‘‘People in their 20s and 30s were going cataracts.’’
But for only $25 you can change their lives, Graeme said.
With help from Rotary International, Rotary Matamata have realised there is a real need for assistance and so they have taken it upon themselves to raise funds for this project.
Working with Nepalese Rotary clubs, Rotary Matamata can
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of ensure every cent raised goes directly to the cause.
Graeme feels a voucher which in turn gives someone their sight back would make a great gift this Christmas.
‘‘For $25 you’re giving something amazing.’’
The $25 vouchers can be purchased from Paper Plus and Mitre 10.