JEDDAH, 9 July 2007 — Despite an MBC channel initiative to host a one-month awareness campaign encouraging people to support Ebsar Foundation for Rehabilitation and Vision Impairment Services, the response from members of the public has been poor and no financial support was offered.
Muhammad Bellow, Ebsar’s executive director, participated in nine TV and radio programs on MBC to raise awareness about the society and get the public to financially support the organization. The campaign failed. Through a survey, Ebsar learned that only a few members of the public watched the programs featuring Bellow.
The foundation has so far succeeded in offering their services to more than 500 visually impaired people, yet there are many more who still need help, he said. According to the World Health Organization, only five percent of the world’s blind have access to or use services provided by organizations such as Ebsar.
Bellow aimed to raise money to buy 500 specially designed computers costing SR6,000 for the visually impaired. The foundation wants to dedicate 300 of these computers to different blind institutes among Arab countries, 100 to university students and 100 to the most successful blind person in the Arab countries, who has managed to accomplish something.
Bellow added these special computers would open new doors for blind people to explore the world and help them overcome their disability to become more independent.
Members of the public wanting to donate to Ebsar Foundation may do so via the foundation’s Saudi Hollandi Bank account: 061-232-025-008.
