STANDARD 'CHARTERED BANK' STANDS-OUT

SEEING IS BELIEVING has changed lives of millions of individuals and families by providing eye health services that enable-

Many to return to education and work. As a result. this his boosted local economies and strengthened communities.

STANDARD chartered Bank [SCB] announced that it has achieved objectives set in 2011 by Bank to raise $100 million to fight against avoidable blindness and visual impairment.

The goal has been achieved two years earlier of  Bank's 2020 target.

David Fein, Group General Counsel and Chairman, Seeing is Believing during interaction session with employees, clients and charity partners to mark 15 years of  Seeing is Believing - Standard Chartered's global partnership with-

International Agency for Prevention of Blindness [IAPB] said that they were excited about opportunity to support development of Vision Catalyst Fund as it has potential to mobilise significantly more funding for eye health sector globally.

Working together with new and existing eye health partners and drawing on our expertise from SIB, we look forward to being part of this ambitious next chapter to fight against avoidable blindness, he maintained.

By funding projects run by  international eye health organisations, SiB provides access to affordable and  quality eye health services to people in low and and middle income countries. 

The money raised through SiB has reached more than 167 million people through medical intervention, eye examinations and eye health education and training.

The initiative has funded 184 eye health projects in 37 countries, supported 4.4 million sight restoring surgeries and trained more than 318,000 health workers.

Avoidable blindness is a key health issue across Standard Chartered's footprint. Globally, there are an estimated 36 million blind people and a farther 217 million people suffering from moderate or several visual impairment .

Yet 80% of all visual impairments can be prevented or cured.

SiB  will continue to fund eye health projects up until end of 2020. After this point, Standard  Chartered will support fight against  avoidable blindness and visual impairment through Vision Catalyst Fund [VCF].

Led by a group of private sector and philanthropic organisations, VCF is an ambitious plan to establish a $1 billion fund that will provide eye care  to all  people in Commonwealth and around world.