A Hong Kong charity’s vision to help needy and elderly with eye problems reintegrate into society
- Saint Barnabas Society and Home runs its Regain Crystal Clear Vision project, backed by fundraising drive Operation Santa Claus
- Charity takes an integrated approach, with beneficiaries getting material, emotional and spiritual support
The slopes and busy roads of Hong Kong’s Central and Western district can be especially precarious for Ho Kai-shing, 64, who is blind in his left eye and severely short-sighted in his right.
Ho was resigned to having to squint hard at price tags in the supermarket, always checking his surroundings before crossing the road and staying home at night due to his poor vision. He had accepted his condition as part of the ageing process, and left the issue untreated for years.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, his medical condition and living situation deteriorated. Due to his health, Ho had not been working and relied primarily on the government’s social welfare scheme, which was insufficient to cope with price increases, according to him.
Just as all hope seemed lost, help for Ho came in the form of a referral to charity Saint Barnabas Society and Home three years ago.
