The Fred Hollows Foundation

The Fred Hollows Foundation is a non-profit, community-based, non-government development aid organization.

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History

In the 1970s, Fred Hollows was visiting very isolated New South Wales towns and stations and Aboriginal communities. He became especially concerned with the high number of Aboriginal People who had eye problems, particularly trachoma.   The Fred Hollows Foundation was launched in Sydney, Australia on the 3rd of September 1992. Just four months after Professor Fred Hollows died, as Hollows died in Sydney in 1993 at the age of 64.

“To my mind, having a care and concern for others is the highest of the human qualities.”

Ever since the organization has worked to restore sight to the people of many countries, including: Australia, Asia, China, Nepal, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, North Korea, Cambodia, and Vietnam. They work regardless of danger and political situation. The foundation has said:

“Our vision is of a world where no one is needlessly blind and of a land where Indigenous people enjoy the same health outcomes as all Australians.”

Purpose

The purpose and aims of the Foundation are:

• To work with blindness prevention organizations in Asia, Africa and the Pacific.
• To develop or strengthen the local health infrastructure.
• To seek sustainable solutions to issues of inequitable access to health programs and affordability of services.
• To restore sight to those who are most needy.
• To give hope to those who are most needy.

The Fred Hollows Foundation is now a worldwide organization, and has treated an estimated 1,000,000 people.

The Foundation's Work

The Foundation works internationally on comprehensive quality eye care, with a focus on cataract. In Australia, The Foundation is committed to roles as both partner and advocate of effective health programs for Indigenous Australians. In New Zealand, The Foundation works with pacific eye health workers to eliminate avoidable blindness in the Pacific. Together, the organizations works with blindness prevention organizations in over 19 countries throughout Africa, Asia and the Pacific:

• To develop or strengthen the local health infrastructure, and
• To seek sustainable solutions to issues of inequitable access to health programs and affordability of services.

Achievements

• Pioneered modern techniques of cataract surgery
• Cost of cataract surgery reduced to as little as $25 in some developing countries
• Set up independent and commercially successful Intraocular lens (IOL) laboratories in Nepal and Eritrea which now export to more than 50 countries and have produced over 3 million sight saving lenses
• Price of IOLs reduced from over $100 to just $8
• Local doctors in the countries where we work have restored sight to more than one million people, after receiving training, equipment and support from The Foundation
• In 2006, with the help of its supporters, The Foundation carried out an amazing 73,838 cataract operations and other sight saving interventions. Over one million people were examined during the course of the year, providing essential eye care to some of the world's poorest regions.

Global Network

In January 2007 a new global network - The Fred Hollows Foundation International - was formed to enhance Foundation operations and programs around the world. The Fred Hollows Foundation in Australia joined sister Foundations in New Zealand and the United Kingdom to become the 'founding signatories' of the new global network. The aim of The Fred Hollows Foundation International is to facilitate cooperation and collaboration among Foundation organizations, to increase our collective impact in eradicating avoidable blindness in the countries where we work. Find out further information about:

• The Fred Hollows Foundation International
• The Fred Hollows Foundation Australia
• The Fred Hollows Foundation New Zealand
• The Fred Hollows Foundation United Kingdom

External Links and Sources

• The Fred Hollows Foundation International official website
• The Fred Hollows Foundation Australia official website
• The Fred Hollows Foundation New Zealand official website
• The Fred Hollows Foundation United Kingdom official website
• The Fred Hollows Foundation official website