Fundraising for Fundación Allegro
Amicus, the School’s charity group, have dedicated Friday 28th March to raising money to support cataract operations in Africa through the charitable organisation, Fundación Allegro. They launched the non-collect dress day with the theme of ‘Identity’ to the community during a whole School Collect last week and the opportunity has been enthusiastically taken up by staff and students.
Our Year 8 students reflected on the importance of supporting this initiative for those in need: “It’s for people who can’t see properly and it’s important so that they can have the same vision that we all have.” noted Kenisha. “It’s important because people should have the right to see and to see their family members. If you couldn’t do this it wouldn’t be very nice. Everyone should have the right to see their family.” added Maya. Quinn explained, “Equality is one of our school values and it gives people the chance to see what they love and do what they’ve always been doing like beautiful drawings.”
The Year 9s discussed the theme for the day, ‘Identity’, which encouraged students to dress in the way they felt was an expression of their personalities. “It’s important to represent who we are.” said Devan, with Doni adding, “It’s important to be yourself.”
Fundación Allegro operates a variety of projects in Africa including agricultural initiatives to improve drainage and irrigation as well as a health and wellbeing focus which helps Ethiopian citizens suffering from cataracts. In Ethiopia the loss of eyesight can result in the inability to work which in turn can lead to issues of poverty, homelessness, social isolation and psychological problems.
The charity’s founder, Felipe Aixala Font de Rubinet, is an anthropologist as well as a philanthropist and was well aware that the difficulties and cost of travel, loss of earnings and need for accommodation could prevent patients accepting an operation which can make such a difference to the quality of their life. The arrangements made by Fundación Allegro make it as easy as possible for people to take advantage of the operation and regain their sight. The cost of a cataract operation, which is a relatively risk-free and simple procedure, is on average £42 per patient which includes transport to the hospital from the patient’s home village, a meal and overnight accommodation as well as the price of the operation.
The Leighton Park’s donations through the Non-Collect Dress day on Friday 28th March will help restore the sight of dozens of Ethiopians.
