Trees for Life is a journey—a journey of service.

While this service may take different forms, the heart of it is always the same. It’s about giving people “a hand up, not a handout.” It’s about people being empowered to do for themselves and each other—in a growing movement that touches more and more lives.

This movement is made of caring people like you. So, I’d like to share with you the latest way the movement is branching out.

In exploring how people can be empowered, we have found that one of the most powerful keys is education. Through our efforts to help spread education in poor areas of the world, we have discovered that one group of children is especially vulnerable. They are children with eye problems.

For most children, eyesight is like their “superpower.” Experts say 80% of all learning is visual. A child’s eyesight enables them to interact with the world, to read, and to learn—both in school and in daily life.

Poor eyesight robs a child of that learning, destroying hope for their future.

The solution is often as simple as a pair of eyeglasses. However, millions of poor children in developing countries don’t have access to adequate eye care. If anything, they may get care at occasional “eye camps.” But as children grow, their eyes change. New problems can appear, or small problems can get worse—even leading to total blindness. To avoid this, children need regular, ongoing eye care.

Trees for Life is joining hands with top eye hospitals in India to serve such children. In this effort, school children will get regular, ongoing eye checks, and those with problems will get eyeglasses or other treatments as needed.

As always, the focus is on empowering people through a grassroots movement. Parents, teachers, and other community members will learn how to help protect a child’s eyesight. They will learn to recognize early signs of eye problems, so they can help make sure kids get care as soon as possible.

I invite you to join in this effort. Through this movement, a child can be provided with an eye exam and a pair of eyeglasses for only fifteen dollars. So, a donation of $150 can help ten children.

Together, we can help children continue learning and reaching for their dreams. We can continue the journey, offering a “hand up” that brings the light of hope into people’s lives—and into our world.

With Gratitude,​

Simmi

​P.S. This video shows how your gift will help children: The Gift of Sight (video)