Over the past three years, Scotland on Sunday readers have donated a total of £81,316 to Sightsavers Int
ernational, a charity working to prevent loss of vision in countries where children are blinded by measles, river blindness, cataracts, accidents and torture.
This was donated after reading the inspiring accounts of the charity's work in Bangladesh (2004), Pakistan (2005) and Sierra Leone (2006), written by Scotland on Sunday senior writer Jeremy Watson, and illustrated with heart-breaking pictures from our award-winning photographers.
As well as paying for cataract surgeries (a cataract operation to restore sight to an adult costs just £17), the money raised by Scotland on Sunday readers has helped: to prevent infection from river blindness in remote communities across Africa; train healthcare workers to identify and treat basic eye conditions; helped children who are blind and visually impaired to attend school and receive an education and helped individuals who are irreversibly blind to be equipped with the skills that they need to be able to lead an independent life.
To watch an online slideshow of Phil Wilkinson's pictures of the charity's work in Sierra Leone, visit to
www.scotlandonsunday.com/intothelightLook out for our 2007 Sightsavers appeal later this year. Meanwhile if you would like to give, visit
www.sightsavers.org