The Fred Hollows Foundation facts for kids

The Fred Hollows Foundation is a special group that helps people. It's a non-profit aid organization, which means it doesn't work for money. It was started in 1992 by an eye doctor named Fred Hollows. This group works to stop and treat blindness and other eye problems. They help people in many parts of the world, like Australia, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.

The Fred Hollows Foundation: Helping Eyes See

The Fred Hollows Foundation is an amazing organization. It helps people who are blind or have poor eyesight. They focus on problems that can be prevented or treated. This group works in many countries around the world.

How the Foundation Started

In 1976, a kind eye doctor named Fred Hollows led a team. They traveled to remote parts of Australia. Their goal was to help Indigenous Australians with eye problems. They wanted to stop eye diseases like trachoma. This program cut the number of blind Indigenous Australians in half.

Fred Hollows started The Fred Hollows Foundation on September 3, 1992. He was an eye doctor and also cared deeply about fairness for all people. He passed away shortly after starting the foundation. His wife, Gabi Hollows, made sure his important work continued. She helped the foundation keep helping people in Vietnam and many other places.

What the Foundation Does

The foundation does many things to help people see. They train doctors and nurses to care for eyes. They also check people for eye diseases that cause blindness. The foundation performs eye surgeries and gives out glasses. They also teach people how to live healthier lives to protect their eyes.

They also provide tools and money to build and improve eye clinics. This helps more people get the eye care they need.

Helping Eyes in Africa

In Africa, the foundation works to build strong eye health systems. They train medical staff to treat eye problems. They also check people's vision and eye health. The foundation helps pay for treatments and provides equipment. They work in countries like Eritrea, Kenya, Rwanda, Ethiopia, and Burundi.

Helping Eyes in Asia and the Middle East

The foundation also works in many countries across Asia and the Middle East. These include Afghanistan, Myanmar, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Palestine, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Timor Leste, Philippines, Lao PDR, and Vietnam. In all these places, they aim to create complete eye care systems.

Helping Indigenous Australians

The foundation works with other groups in Australia. They ask the government to invest in eye health services. Their goal is to close the health gap for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Australians. They want these communities to have the same health as other Australians.

In 2008, the foundation offered money to build an eye clinic. This clinic was planned for Alice Springs, Australia. By 2010, the clinic was not yet built. Some people thought the Australian Government was relying too much on a charity. The Minister for Indigenous Health said the foundation was the best group to provide this eye clinic.

Awards and Recognition

The Fred Hollows Foundation has received many awards. It is known as one of Australia's most trusted charities. In 2013, it was named the Australian Charity of the Year. It was also listed as one of the world's top 50 non-government organizations (NGOs).

• 2005: Won an award for its partnership with Woolworths. This was for their Community Stores Program in the Wugularr community.
• 2009: Won a Gold Star award for a non-profit video. This was at a big fundraising meeting in The Netherlands.
• 2013: Won the National Charity Award. This was part of the first Australian Charity Awards.
• 2013: Ranked among the top 50 best non-government organizations in the world. This was in a list published by The Global Journal.

See Also

• Fred Hollows
• Gabi Hollows
• Orbis International
• Sightsavers
• Eyes for Africa