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Giving the Gift of Better Eyesight to the Kids in Mai Am Be Tho

Vietnam
24 February 2019

Mai Am Be Tho is one of the homes for orphans and disabled children located in Dong Nai Province, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. On the 24th  of February 2019, ZEISS Vietnam conducted a corporate social responsibility event that did not limit to free eye examinations – the team had also organized a full day of recreation for the children.

  • Gift of Better Eyesight
  • Gift of Better Eyesight
  • Checking a girl's eyesight with ZEISS VISUREF
  • A doctor performs an eye exam on children pointing at a chart for the examination

Humble Beginnings

The centre was established in 1990 by Soeur Vinh (Nun and Founder of Mai Am Be Tho) with the intention to provide shelter to street children. When the monastery funding was not enough, Soeur asked her parents for financial support to finish the orphanage’s construction.

"I set up a home and let the kids sleep through the night. Until 1998, I began to adopt children with disabilities, homeless and abandoned kids."
– Soeur Vinh, Nun and Founder of Mai Am Be Tho

Mai Am Be Tho also opened a private nursery school nearby to fund the organization. Now, it is the home of over 100 kids, including infants.

  • Gift of Better Eyesight
  • Gift of Better Eyesight
  • A doctor performs an eye examination on a child using ZEISS diagnostic instruments.
  • a clown is dancing in front of a group of children

Gift of Better Eyesight

The event commenced on a Sunday morning with 19 ZEISS staff including family and friends. Donations-in-kind such as basic necessities, first-aid kits, and medicines were given to the orphanage. 3 doctors were brought in by the team to conduct an eye screening using ZEISS diagnostic instruments. A few children have refractive errors, retinal diseases, and amblyopia but due to the limited access to eye care and financial means, these cases were left untreated.

“At this centre, about 15-20 kids have refractive errors that they are not aware of.”
–   Huynh Hoai Phong, Business Development Manager, ZEISS Medical Technology Segment

  • ZEISS Vietnam corporate social responsibility event in Mai Am Be Tho
  • Donations-in-kind
  • A collective picture of all participants of the ZEISS Vietnam corporate social responsibility event: in the foregroud are the children of Mai Am Be Tho, at the background are the doctors, the ZEISS Vietnam employees and the coworkers of Mai Am Be Tho
  • ZEISS Vietnam employees delivering donation boxes to children in Mai Am Be Tho

As a pioneer in optics, it is part of the company’s responsibility to provide accessible eye care and eyeglasses. Custom-fitted ZEISS spectacle lenses were sent to aid the kids with refractive errors. ZEISS also entrusted the funds for eye care of 20,000,000 VND.

“They [children] are very happy and grateful with these glasses. It helps them see things clearer than before.”
– Soeur Vinh

The initiative was not only meaningful to the beneficiary, but to the volunteers as well. More initiatives are being planned to support the local communities in Vietnam.

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