Santiago Foundation for the Blind

Sixth NGO selected to participate in the November 2019 / January 2020 quarter

The National Foundation for the Blind is a social welfare institution that works on blindness prevention and the rehabilitation of blind people for their professional, social, and family integration. It operates within a framework of personal autonomy that allows them to participate actively in society. Currently, 16 people—some young and mostly adults—benefit from this program: 8 females and 8 males. They have a medical office for evaluations for the general public.

Through its Social Responsibility program ‘Unidos Sumamos’ (Together We Add Up), CIRSA Dominican Republic has raised the sum of RD$84,416.52 in the November 2019-January 2020 quarter. This amount was collected from the TITOS that customers deposited in the solidarity boxes at the CASINOS in Santo Domingo and Santiago, plus the company’s contribution matching the amount of titos collected.

For this second stage of Unidos Sumamos, we decided to make the delivery in person to the selected foundations to experience and see the reality of these institutions and their beneficiaries. On this occasion, we visited the Santiago National Foundation for the Blind, and we were moved by the hard work and unconditional dedication of all the staff in favor of the visually impaired people who come to receive all the help this NGO offers. It was a truly powerful experience for us to see the love with which the staff supports and teaches the kids skills and abilities so they can integrate into society and the workplace normally and without distinction, as well as the help and support they offer to both the visually impaired and their families during such a tough time in their lives, when many of them feel like giving up and feel abandoned by everyone.

We really liked seeing how organized the foundation’s work is. It has various training areas, from spaces where they teach motor skills, reading, and computer skills, to orientation so they can walk around their city without fear of getting lost. They also have an equipped ophthalmological center where they provide free eye care services to the general public.

For Ms. María Palacios, head of the foundation, the donated amount brought great joy since it will be used for eye surgeries for people with limited resources, which will allow them to save at least 10 pairs of eyes and restore sight to more than one person.