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THE BLINDNESS FOUNDATION works in Burma/Myanmar,Cambodia, Laos, the Philippines & Thailand. Our mission is: "HELP US,HELP OTHERS, HELP THEMSELVES" -working with local eye Doctors in these SE Asian countries to help prevent & cure blindness. This is achieved through education, training and mission supply for outreach cataract surgery programs to the rural & urban poor . To date for example we have over the last two decades, contributed lens implants that have been implanted in over 65,000 patients' eyes to help them see again -curing their blindness. Ongoing training and education, upgrades the knowledge and skill -sets of young Eye Doctors in training so that they can treat their own people better, without reliance on outside Ophthalmologists. This builds their health care systems closer to modern world standards. We respond to specific requests for assistance in placing young Eye Doctors in residency & Fellowship programs out of country , Also supply of anti-fungals for the Burmese fishermen with corneal infections after the Nargis Cyclone hit the Irawaddy delta region of Myanmar. Our goal is sustainable self-sufficiency for eye care in these developing nations. We have annual missions that incorporate training & lectures at university based teaching hospitals where possible to assist their development. During these missions we process requests for equipment, traing and supplies and coordinate with industry in the US to raise supplies. Your funding helps develop the third world and truly ,you do ,indeed, "make a difference" Thank You, CHRISTOPHER LYON, MD PhD Director THE BLINDNESS FOUNDATION

The Alawite Islamic Charitable Association AICA, a non-profit non-governmental organization located mainly in Jabal Mohsen - Tripoli and Akkar, registered under the decree No. 4500/1950 , was founded in 1950 in order to claim the rights of the Alawite Muslim community through development and social projects as well as Health care and medical services. Its projects and activities aim to mitigate all forms of discrimination towards civil Rights access (medical, health, education, work opportunities, or any other additional required support), raise individual and collective awareness, mainstream protection and disseminate risks prevention. The intervention strategy consists on holistic and sustainable community development, Advocacy and Peace Building, education and training, primary health care and medical services, religious services. Since 1950, AICA has created several institutions in order to ensure specific programs/activities responding to Alawite community and individuals' needs, such as: Alzahraa Medical Dispensary House of Wisdom Center The Social Hall Alduha School Mosque of Imam Ali bin Abi Talib (AS) Mosque of Lady Fatima Alzahra (AS) VISION AICA ensures equity and access to Human Rights for vulnerable individuals and communities with facing any kind of discrimination, as for the Alawite Islamic Communities. AICA intends encouraging community development, through access to Rights/education, health, protection and economic empowerment from apart, and from another part, facilitating Psycho-social Support and Peace-building through Sport, art and different community initiatives. MISSION In reference to values and principles of Imam Ali (AS), AICA develops a humanitarian emergency response action, development and benevolence, targeting the whole community through adopting an integrated global ecosystem approach based on Rights (health care services, social awareness, cultural and educational services via its primary health care center, its schools, PSS center, Wisdom House/ Beit EL Hekme) and all its Alawite religious institutions), based on needs of vulnerable communities. MAIN GOAL AICA intends leading a global networking through faith in potentials, reinforcing positive social values, resources management, creating opportunities, strategic partnerships and community development. VALUES Based mainly on Imam Ali (AS) values, then with referring to Human Rights Declaration Charter and Social Work basis, AICA Chosen basic values related to Development in general, and specifically for its intervention, such as: Collaboration Giving Humanity Human Dignity Social Justice Partnership Sustainability Identity Peaceful Life Values COMPONENTS OF ACTION Alzahraa Medical Dispensary as a primary health care center ensuring a number of doctors, providing health care services and workers in a safe, effective and proper performance and quality, equally to all beneficiaries (neither based on racism, nationality, religion, gender or age). House of Widsom Center is the social center of the Association which provides social, cultural and religious services to a large number of beneficiaries where: - A team conducting a geographical survey of Jabal Mohsen in order to assess the humanitarian situation then to ensure the appropriate assistance, whether in kind, material or services. - All kinds of activities whether awareness sessions, general culture, vocational rehabilitation and/or psychosocial support which are conducted by AICA employees or within the collaboration a number of local and international organizations. o Community Development: Community projects/ Livelihood and socioeconomic empowerment (especially the women empowerment project for cooking and preparing the substance "Beit ElMouneh", with acknowledge the remarkable initiative of Baskets of Peace's Substance) as well as encouraging several community led ... o Protection/ Education / Training: Qualitative Education (School in Akkar), Training for youth and Capacity Building of groups, communities and professionals. o Peace-building/ PSS through Support groups' discussions /Sport/ Arts/ Skills/ Workshops WHO WE ARE? A group of professionals and volunteers who aim community development and access to rights (Education/Health/Protection/Employment opportunities/Food/Personal skills' development ) with no discrimination, awareness and advocacy through awareness sessions and peace-building, support through encouraging youth led initiatives, and Psycho-Social Support through Arts, Sport as well as Productive workshops. WHY DO WE EXIST? We believe in human values and positive youth potential and we consider AICA exists to ensure a better access to basic Individuals' Rights and to assist vulnerable communities to rise-up facing their fact, believing in their potentials and values in order to think and make the necessary change into their lives. AICA calls for a social cohesion within respecting other's difference, a good communication and partnership to make Change through actions. WHAT WE DO? We provide community-based development program through education, Training, economic empowerment, women and youth's led based on Rights and acceptance of the different others in order to re-build peace and tie positive relations. We engage and empower vulnerable categories of community through combined projects to become programs such as Primary Health care; education; Protection; PSS via group discussions, arts and sports, Peace-building via livelihood training and workshops as well community led/initiatives, etc WHERE? We exist in Lebanon, since 1950, in Tripoli and Akkar.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEMS/BACKGROUND INFORMATION: The negative hindrance to development and economical growth in Uganda include:- Unemployment, high population growth rate, low income, subsistence agricultural dependence, low literacy levels, hunger and poverty, disease especially HIV/AIDS and domestic violence. All these culminate in chronic poverty, low income earnings and poor standards of living. The above problems have not excluded the individuals in Kibwa Zone kampala, with a majority of children orphaned, and youth drop-outs unemployed so they are unable to meet the basic necessities of life, poor shelter, shortage of land and unable to access development information about the available social services. They have no minimum capital essentially for raising incomes and improving the quality of life. So, these have over the years resorted to very low earning income/ economic activities, engaging in multiple relationships, others stay in redundancy resulting to idleness. All these have led into disease spreading, family conflicts, drug abuse and many other associated problems. Although there is some help from the Government and Non-governmental organizations and other development agencies, the result has remained. PROJECT GOALS: This is a non governmental organisation established with aim of helping Vulnerable children, improving their economic and social welfare especially orphans and Aids Infected children to attain minimum basic necessities of life and standards of living. To improve social welfare and economy of individuals within our organization especially single orphans and youth Caring and supporting children infected/affected by HIV/AIDS, war and domestic violence. OBJECTIVES: Sensitizing the community towards an HIV free generation through prevention of mother to child transmission. People living with HIV/AIDS to adhering to drugs through timely taking, nutritional support and sanitation. Starting up an orphanage centre for caring and supporting orphans/children who were infected and affected by HIV/AIDS, war and domestic violence because many of them are discriminated from families, schools and in their communities as well. Providing holistic care and support to children until they grow to a level of basic sustainability. Provide members with basic necessities such as food, clothing and shelter, and to sustain their house hold income. Setting up a Kindergarten/Primary school for orphans. Acquiring land and putting up permanent structures To provide an option of better economic activities such as the idea of good farming and poultry. To sensitize and mobilize over 300 orphans and disadvantaged children in other income generating activities e.g. poultry, farming and other disadvantaged individuals to join the profit in caravan of and other profiting economic activities so that they can abandon the non-profiting businesses. FINANCIAL SUPPORT: Most of our members have got the ability run the project activities but they lack capital and bank loans would be an appropriate source of capital to finance our projects but they carry huge interest rates. We have also tried a hand of other several projects i.e. poultry, farming which we feel if expanded, could be a good source of income to our families and hence become self reliant TARGET GROUPS: The target groups e.g. Orphans and disadvantaged children 250 50 METHODS/IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES: The primary method is that we have to put in place a workshop/seminar/meeting where our members will attend to sensitize people about our objectives. That we have put in place an office to extend our services and get in touch easily to the communities. We are also having a long run project of opening up a Nursery /primary School and a large orphanage centre for orphans, and school dropouts using the obtained funds. This will help us to enhance the sustainability of the project without more external help or funding. Meetings, workshops or seminars will be held annually to check the development and weaknesses of the organization. The plan will be put in place for members to generate systematic collection of information about the operations of the project and provide a basic for sharing information with other similar projects. Commitment and complete involvement of all members in case of any new ideas or trainings in more skills. EVALUATION: Performance indicators will be designed to determine whether the set targets are being achieved. STAFF AND ADMINISTRATION: This organization will operate with five (5) members selected due to one's skills. These will include; Chairperson, Vice-chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer/Finance, and Publicity Secretary Chairperson/Vice Chairperson: Both the Chairperson and Vice Chairperson will be responsible for planning and organizing, overseeing the project development and operation, establishing and maintaining links to community, NGOs, CBOs and scheduling of centre programs and activities. They will also be responsible for developing working valuation man ship with formal and informal community leaders. The Vice Chairperson will be carrying out the above duties in the absence of the Chairperson. Secretary The Secretary will be handling all general secretarial function for the organization; e.g. typing, printing, arranging for meetings, preparing reports and record keeping. The Secretary will be responsible for maintaining the structure and appearance of the association, routing correspondence and other forms of communication with women orphans, school drop-outs and other disadvantaged people in the community. Treasurer/Finance: The Treasurer will be responsible for the finances of the organization and; Shall solicit for funds for the Association with the help of other members. Shall receive and bank funds of the organization Shall keep books of accounts and be accountable for organization's financial report and hence come up with an annual audited balance sheet. Any other duties as required by the Committee. Publicity Secretary Shall be responsible for publicizing any matter in regard with the organization.