Blindness is a Community Issue
This book was written primarily for parents and other caregivers of young children
who cannot see well. But it should not be their task alone to deal with the needs
of their children. By making blindness a community issue, it is possible to lighten
the extra burden carried by parents of blind children, begin to eliminate the causes
of blindness, and help children who are blind grow up to be active community
members.
The root cause of most blindness is poverty. This means the majority of blindness
is preventable. To reduce and prevent blindness, the conditions of poverty that
oppress most people in communities around the world must be changed. This is one
important reason we say that blindness is a community issue.
Another reason is that children who are blind are our children — they are the
future of our communities.
Children who are blind
need and deserve our
love, care, and attention.
When we make our
communities places
where blind children can
thrive, at the same time
we will be improving life
for everyone.
Everyone benefits from
better education and health
care, safer streets and
neighborhoods, and more
community participation.
When you reach out to your
friends and neighbors, you
are creating the solidarity
needed to build a better
community and a world of
social justice and human
dignity.
Making blindness a community issue will help
you, your child, and your community.
helping children who are blind