I received two e-mails in within a few days of each other, one announcing that October 11 is World Sight Day and one promoting October 11 as International Day of the Girl Child. Support one or both, you choose.
My e-mail on World Sight Day, came from TOMS, better known for their buy one, give one shoe sales, but they now also sponsor a buy one, give one program where you buy sunglasses and someone in the developing world gets the gift of sight. The day is officially organized by the World Health Organization, and many organizations that work to combat blindness are involved.
- 285 million people around the world are visually impaired, with 39 million of them blind
- 80% percent of the problems come from preventable causes
- 51 % of the blindness is caused by cataracts
- 15 minutes—the amount of time needed to remove a cataract
- 43% of visual impairment simply requires corrective lenses
(facts all from links in this blog post)
If you want to buy pricey sunglasses you can at least feel good about, visit TOMS. While your there check out the “Change Your Perspective” slide to see what those with cataracts or glaucoma see. Your purchase will help someone else regain his or her sight. You can also donate your old prescription glasses to the Lions for use in providing care to those in need of corrective lenses (they’ll also take your cash). If you simply want to make a donation, Sightsavers, a British charity, is a leader in bringing sight-saving treatment to those in need.
Now, what about the International Day of the Girl Child? Sponsored by the United Nations, the day is meant to recognize girls’ rights and the unique challenges they face. I saw a Facebook post yesterday (by a man) stating that he doesn’t see any war on women happening except abortion. I don’t think he’s reading much, or talking to women much, for that matter. Yesterday’s shooting by the Taliban of a 14-year-old Pakistani girl who promoted girls’ education is a perfect example.
- Almost 50% of girls in the developing world become mothers before 18
- 25,000 girls become child brides each day
- 1 in 9 girls is forced into marriage between the ages of 10 and 14
- 70% or more female illiteracy rate in 20 developing countries
- 99 million girls not completing primary school (the boys number is 51 million)
(facts all from links in this blog post)
You can join Care to make a difference in both supporting girl’s education and ending child marriage. Be sure to use the “Test Your Knowledge” link to find out more. Use the “Take Action” link to encourage the U.S. government to help stop child marriage. Make a donation to Care if you feel called to do so. And share their link or this blog post on your Facebook page or blog.
Make 10/11/12 a day of choosing to act.