The gift of sight...

society

They say that you never know what you have until it is gone. As cliche as this saying is, the principle of this message is exceptionally true. Cherishing each and every bit of life is not a very common practice in our world today. For instance, we often take many of our body’s every day functions for granted - it’s true to say that when we become used to something, we tend to also become complacent. This kind of thinking may be a reflection of the lack of care and attention we generally pay to our bodies on a daily basis.

The ability to see is an example of the body’s functions that while most would find unthinkable to live without, we are unwilling to care for sufficiently. For a minute, imagine not seeing rainbows, a loved one’s face or not even being able to read off the billboard sign hanging in broad daylight. There are many less fortunate visually impaired people who struggle to experience this on a daily basis; or worse who could’ve been cured but are now blind.

According to statistics, due to lack of resources and awareness 11 per cent of the total population of Pakistan is visually impaired. There are 1.9 million people who are blind of which 80 per cent of the cases are curable.

Recently, one of Pakistan’s leading fashion design house, Sania Maskatiya, has collaborated with Layton Rahmatulla Benevolent Trust (LRBT), Pakistan’s largest non-governmental organisation that is working to eradicate curable blindness in the country. This joint effort by Sania Maskatiya and LRBT aims to prevent the suffering caused by blindness and other eye ailments. The brand has launched digital silk scarves of which 100 per cent of the sale proceeds will be donated to LRBT. One scarf pays for one cataract surgery. These scarves are available at Sania Maskatiya’s flagship Karachi store and Lahore store. Not only would you be adding colour in your life but in someone else’s as well.

––You! desk