Hand in hand with local institutions, the SRC is setting up regional eye care facilities in Nepal, Kyrgyzstan, Ghana and Togo. The foundation of our work is training local specialists and volunteers. The volunteers reach out to villagers to teach them about the causes of eye conditions and blindness and explain the treatment opportunities. The specialists screen thousands of school children and provide them with treatment whenever required. Every year, this eye care programme cures about 5,200 people of cataracts and treats another 129,000 for eye conditions. Just 50 francs an eye frees people in Africa and Asia from the devastating burden of cataracts. The operation enables children to go to school and adults to lead independent lives.