Students of optometry in Eritrea will be the direct beneficiaries of a $20,000 grant from Alberta’s Community Initiatives Program (CIP). The CIP Program is administered by the Alberta Government Culture and Community Spirit and it supports humanitarian projects in developing countries and countries in transition. Optometry Giving Sight will match the grant with $20,000 from donations received from Alberta optometrists and their patients.

The funds will enable much needed equipment to be purchased for the Optometry School at the Asmara College of Health Sciences in Eritrea. It will be used to provide clinical training and assessment for the students.

The School aims to recruit a maximum of 30 students per year for the next few years in a program that will see students being offered the choice of a 3 or 5 year qualification that will enable them to practice in the public health sector. This prospect of 90 new health professionals by 2016 will have a great impact on the quality of life for tens of thousands of people in Eritrea. This School of Optometry will address the significant shortage of trained public sector eye care staff.

There are 670 million people around the world who are blind or vision impaired simply because they don’t have access to an eye exam and a pair of glasses - that’s almost 20 times the population of Canada. Learn more about Optometry Giving Sight® by calling 1-800-585-8265 ext. 4 in Canada, or by visiting their website at www.givingsight.org.