Charity Kimse Yok Mu to conduct 30,000 cataract surgeries

The charity organization Kimse Yok Mu (Is Anybody There) is planning to carry out 30,000 cataract surgeries in Africa and Asia in 2015.

Veysel Kayabaşı, who coordinates the charity's health projects, said during the project's promotion campaign in İstanbul that they plan to carry out 30,000 cataract surgeries in 2015. Last year, the charity organization conducted 30,180 cataract surgeries.

In the first phase of the project, Cemre Academy -- formed by the charity organization and university students -- will attempt to assist 10,000 people suffering from cataracts in various countries, mostly in Africa.

Donations provided by June will be used to carry out the operations.

According to İsmail Cingöz, president of Kimse Yok Mu, there are around 40 million people in Africa, most of whom are children, who suffer from cataracts.

During the promotion of the campaign at Süleyman Şah University in İstanbul on Thursday, many volunteers made donations.

Speaking at the event, Cingöz said it was impossible for a person who can see to fully understand how a person who cannot see feels.

“Because we know we will [be able to] open our eyes in a moment. It is difficult for people to understand that someone with cataracts will not see for their entire life,” Cingöz said.

The charity organization, which has so far lent a helping hand to millions of people in 113 countries around the world, has a total of around 200,000 volunteers.

University students who will contribute to this particular project include Amine Betül Karakaya, a student volunteer for the Cemre Academy, who said they hope to cure 10,000 people of cataract by the end of June.

Turkish charity Kimse Yok Mu's right to collect charitable donations was barred by a Cabinet decision in September of last year but in November, the Council of State issued a stay of execution on the Cabinet decision, saying that it was against the law.

Published on Cihan, 12 March 2015, Thursday