Provide Sight to 10,000 Blind Children in Pakistan

In Pakistan alone there are 18.7 million blind and visually impaired people out of which 2.6 million are children who can be easily cured by simple procedures including cataract which is the major cause of blindness and can be treated for as low as $ 81 for a child at LRBT probably less than you would spend on a dinner/iftar at a restaurant.

www.facebook.com/lrbt.pakistan

The reality for most blind and visually impaired people in Pakistan is that they have little or no hope of accessing treatment or information on what preventable measures they should take mostly due to unaffordability and inaccessibility to quality eye care. They are often subjected to a life of begging on the streets or need permanent support of their already over stretched families.

There is a strong linkage between blindness/impaired vision and poverty. A blind person is dependent on his family for his/her needs. So not only is there a reduction in the family income as a result of their disability but a family member is also diverted from productive work to act as a caregiver. A study by Sightsavers International has estimated that the annual loss of productivity caused by the 1.8 million people who are blind in Pakistan and are therefore not gainfully employed is Rs 69 billion which is 0.8 % of the GDP.

With Love

In this array of darkness THE LAYTON RAHMATULLA BENEVOLENT TRUST (LRBT) has emerged as the only ray of hope for the poor blind. LRBT is the largest provider of Free Eye-care in Pakistan devoted to the prevention of curable blindness and impaired vision in people who live around the poverty line. It was established 30 years ago by 2 retiring businessmen Graham Layton & Zaka Rahmatulla who out of their love for humanity wanted to give back to the community upon their retirement.

During our 30 years of existence over 30 million patients visited our OPDs and over 3 million surgeries were carried out. We are, according to an independent estimate the largest provider of Eye care in the country treating 36 % of all eye patients visiting OPD of hospitals, performing 27 % of all eye surgeries & 32 % of all Paediatric cataract surgeries.

All treatment as well as surgery at LRBT is totally free so that no man, woman or child should go blind simply because they cannot afford the treatment. LRBT has touched & improved the lives of more people than any other NGO in Pakistan. Help us Help More!

Links:

• LRBT Ramzan TVC
• LRBT Facebook page