Light for the World
Light for the World is a European confederation of national development NGOs committed saving eyesight, improving quality of life and advocating for the rights of person with disabilities in underprivileged regions of the world – irrespective of gender, origin, ethnic descent or religion.
Today, Light for the World supports 150 programmes in 15 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America, dedicated to the restoration of eyesight, prevention of blindness, rehabilitation of persons with disabilities and promotion of their human rights.[1]
Organisation
In 2008 a formal agreement of confederation was signed by member organisations in Austria, Belgium and Czech Republic in order to strengthen collaboration and improve opportunities to distribute funds and resources. In April 2011, Dutch NGO Dark and Light joined Light for the World.[2]
Member NGOs:
- Licht für die Welt - Christoffel Entwicklungszusammenarbeit (Austria)
- Světlo pro Svět (Czech Republic)
- Licht voor de Wereld - Lumiére pour le Monde (Belgium)
- Light for the World (The Netherlands)
The overall income of the confederation Light for the World in 2008 was €12.6 million. The foundation of the work is built on the commitment of over 150,000 individuals, who account for 76.2 per cent of total revenue, and 8.87 per cent is from public bodies – the European Union, the Austrian Development Cooperation (OEZA) and the Czech Development Cooperation. [3][4]
In 2008, Light for the World established a child sponsorship program to intensify and expand support for children with disabilities in developing countries.
In 2009 a cross-border Unit of Programme Support and International Advocacy (UPSA) was established. It contends for the rights of people with disabilities to establish a sustainable development policy on a European and international level.
History
- Dark and Light was founded in 1982 by the ophthalmologist Martien Cozijnsen and his wife Jenny. The small 'family foundation' has grown into the biggest development organisation in the Netherlands working for the prevention of blindness and the rehabilitation of persons with disabilities.
- The Austrian organisation "Licht für die Welt" was founded in 1988 in Vienna under the name "Christoffel-Blindenmission Austria". Among the first projects of the young Austrian organisation were eye care units and rehabilitation programmes in Ethiopia and Kenya. [5]
- The Belgian branch of Light for the World was founded in 1997 under the name of Christian Blind Mission Belgium. One of the first programmes supported was CCBRT – an orthopaedic and eye care hospital and rehabilitation programme in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
- In 1999 the initiative "VISION 2020 – The Right To Sight" was launched in cooperation with the World Health Organisation (WHO).
- Light for the World has been an active member in this global action plan to eliminate preventable blindness by the year 2020 since the beginning.
- In 2004, the organization in Austria changed its name to "Licht für die Welt - Christoffel-Entwicklungszusammenarbeit", and appeared worldwide as "Light for the World". Also, the Austrian President Dr. Heinz Fischer became patron of Light for the World.
- In 2007, the Czech branch of Light for the World was founded in Prague and currently supports programmes in Ethiopia.
- In 2008 a formal agreement of confederation was signed by Light for the World in Austria, Belgium and Czech Republic in order to strengthen the collaboration in the program countries and to improve opportunities to distribute funds and resources.
- In 2010, the Austrian Licht für die Welt and the Dutch Dark and Light made an agreement in regarsd to projects on which they collaborated. "Licht für die Welt" took over responsibility for projects in Ethiopia and Pakistan, and Dark and Light did the same on Nepal and Sudan.
- In 2011, Dark and Light joined the Confederation.
- In 2012, Dark and Light changes its name to Light for the World The Netherlands.
Key activities
There are about 37 million blind people in the world and 90 per cent live in developing countries. One-third of cases of blindness are treatable by relatively simply means or could have been avoided in the first place. Eighty per cent of the world's 650 million persons with disabilities live in developing countries and 45 million of them are children. Only a very small percentage has access to basic health care and basic education.
Prevention of blindness and restoration of eye sight is the most important sector focus in the programmatic work of Light for the World. With its engagement Light for the World contributes to the elimination of avoidable blindness in the context of the international initiative "VISION 2020 – The Right to Sight" in poor regions, targeting marginalised and neglected people without access to eye care and rehabilitation. Light for the World aims to be considered a competent and flexible partner in the planning, implementation and evaluation of initiatives set in this area.
Light for the World commits itself to creating new opportunities for persons with disabilities, increasing mobility with the help of devices and starting initiatives that will provide education and incomes. Another objective is to raise awareness on the inclusion of persons with disabilities in their family and social environment. This is an important basis for inclusion and for the autonomy and self-determination of persons with disabilities. Raising public awareness on the situation of persons with disabilities in developing countries forms an important part of Light for the World's work.
Light for the World has chosen six priority countries and nine more programme countries to focus its work - Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, DR Congo, Mozambique, Rwanda and Southern Sudan. In addition, Light for the World is active in the following countries and regions: Kenya, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Northeast India, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Bolivia and Bosnia-Herzegovina. [6]
Guiding principles in cooperation with partners in the developing world [7]
- Support local partners in underprivileged regions of the world in their work with and for people who are blind, have other disabilities or are at risk of becoming disabled.
- Provide help irrespective of gender, ethnicity or religion and in particular to very underprivileged groups, such as women, children, indigenous peoples and marginal groups in society.
- Act according to the needs of the people affected.
- Programmes reach as many people as possible.
- Support programmes leading to sustainable strengthening and social inclusion of people who are blind or have other disabilities in their communities.
- Support programmes also in difficult periods and respond to current challenges with endurance, perseverance and flexibility.
- To apply efficient and economical use of funds in projects and take into consideration principles of ecological and social sustainability and fair trade whenever possible.
- Enable a global exchange of experiences regarding effective and efficient concepts in the programme areas that Light for the world support.
Memberships and Platforms
- VISION 2020 – The Right to Sight [8]
- International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB)
- International Disability and Development Consortium (IDDC)
- International Council for Education of People with Visual Impairment (ICEVI)
- Global Campaign for Education
- Onchocerciasis Control Programme (OCP)
- Fair Trade
References
- ^ Dark and Light Journaal, 22 April 2011. Retrieved 3 May 2011.
- ^ Light for the World welcomes Dark and Light
- ^ http://www.light-for-the-world.org/achievements.html
- ^ http://www.light-for-the-world.org/downloads/Activity_Report_0910.pdf
- ^ http://www.lichtfuerdiewelt.at/content/geschichte
- ^ http://www.lichtfuerdiewelt.at/content/wo-wir-helfen
- ^ http://www.light-for-the-world.org/howwehelp.html
- ^ http://www.lichtfuerdiewelt.at/content/vision-2020-das-recht-auf-augenlicht
